Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman strongly believes the NHL and players' association will establish a successful plan for the 2020-21 campaign.

"I'm very optimistic," Yzerman said earlier this week, according to the Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James. "I'm hopeful. I don't really have any control over it. The league can only control so much, as well.

"I think the players' association and the league, the cooperation from both sides has been fantastic. It's my understanding they're working together now to put a plan in place."

The 2019-20 season ended Sept. 28 after being delayed multiple months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly reiterated last week that the league is targeting a Jan. 1 start for the 2020-21 campaign.

As of Friday, the NHL-NHLPA return-to-play committee apparently hadn't yet met to discuss next season despite the date being less than two months away.

Yzerman says the biggest hurdle facing the league is the border restrictions between Canada and the United States.

"Ultimately, we're restricted by international governments - the Canada-US border - local, state governments," Yzerman said. "Right now, it looks like we'll be able to come up with some kind of plan, but I don't know specifically what that is."

Yzerman will be hoping the Red Wings can take the next step in their rebuild in 2020-21 after finishing dead last in the NHL for the first time since 1985-86.

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The Dallas Stars signed forward Roope Hintz to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $3.15 million, the team announced Monday.

Hintz, 23, will be a restricted free agent when the deal expires following the 2022-23 season.

The 6-foot-3 Finn ranked second on the Stars with a career-best 19 goals - including five game-winners - and added 14 assists through 60 regular-season contests in 2019-20.

He added two goals and 13 points over 25 playoff games during the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Stars general manager Jim Nill has kept busy this offseason. He inked netminder Anton Khudobin and forwards Radek Faksa and Denis Gurianov to new deals and brought in defenseman Mark Pysyk. Nill also named Rick Bowness permanent head coach in October.

Dallas now has just under $258,000 in projected cap space with a full 23-man roster, according to CapFriendly.

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The Ottawa Senators are mourning the loss of Canadian icon and longtime "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek, who passed away from pancreatic cancer Sunday at the age of 80.

"Alex was a true and much beloved Canadian icon, and a very special member of the Ottawa Senators family," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said in a statement.

"We will always be grateful to Alex for the special role he played in announcing the Senators' first draft choice this year. For his legions of fans, Alex's class and professionalism will endure as will his love for our game. Thank you, Alex, for your legacy. The Senators family and the entire Capital Region will miss you."

Trebek revealed in March 2019 he had been battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

The Sudbury, Ontario native is a University of Ottawa alumnus. Trebek made a special appearance at the NHL Draft in October to announce forward Tim Stuetzle as the Senators' first-round selection.

The German winger also paid tribute Sunday, posting the video of Trebek drafting him with a special message attached.

"I am deeply sorry to hear about the death of Alex Trebek. I was looking forward to meeting the person who drafted me. He shared this unforgettable moment with me and I am very thankful for that."

Trebek holds the Guinness World Record for the most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter. He hosted more than 8,200 episodes of "Jeopardy!" over 37 seasons.

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It appears Oscar Klefbom's 2020-21 campaign is in jeopardy.

The Edmonton Oilers defenseman is dealing with a nagging shoulder injury that general manager Ken Holland says could keep him off the ice next season.

"I’m planning for 2020-21 that Oscar is not playing and anything other than that will be a surprise. A pleasant surprise," Holland said, according to the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson.

Klefbom, 27, has already undergone multiple shoulder procedures over his seven-year career, most recently leaving the team for surgery in March 2018. The injury kept him out for nine contests toward the end of the 2019-20 regular season, but he appeared in all four of the club's postseason games this summer.

The 6-foot-3 blue-liner is an integral piece of the Oilers' defense corps and one of the league's premier minute munchers. Klefbom has paced the club in average ice time over four consecutive seasons and ranked fifth among all players in that department (25:25) in 2019-20. He also added five goals and 34 points over 62 games.

Edmonton added rearguard Tyson Barrie in free agency this offseason, but Holland says he doesn't plan on making any more moves to fill the defensive hole.

"Yes, we could always use one more (defenseman), but we’re fine right for now," Holland said. “We’ve got (William) Lagesson signed. If we get (Ethan) Bear signed, then we’ve also (got) Bouchard … I’m watching how Evan’s playing in Europe. He’ll be back for our training camp."

The start date for the 2020-21 campaign remains unclear, but the league's target is Jan. 1.

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Brendan Shanahan was known equally for his grit and goal-scoring as a player, but the Toronto Maple Leafs president doesn't quite see the game the way he used to.

"The way (today), I think, is not necessarily the way I played," Shahanan said on the "SmartLess" podcast hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Leafs fan Will Arnett.

"I know people get pissed off at me when I say stuff like this, but I don't get excited to see a big hit. I get excited when I see a big goal ... I don't want to see any of these young guys on the ice getting carried off (on a stretcher). I don't get off on it."

Shanahan recorded 656 goals and 2,489 penalty minutes over 1,524 NHL games. He also racked up 90 career fights, according to hockeyfights.com.

The Hall of Fame forward believes fighting can still serve a purpose in the modern game, but the days of premeditated tilts are long gone.

"If I see a fight in hockey and it's because someone was protecting somebody or somebody was bullying somebody and you're addressing it. There's probably still a place for that in hockey, but using it as a tool to intimidate or hurt, I don't know, it's going away from that."

Prior to joining the Maple Leafs, Shanahan served as the league's senior vice president and helped establish the NHL Department of Player Safety in 2011.

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The Winnipeg Jets re-signed defenseman Sami Niku to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $725,000, the team announced Friday.

Niku, 24, will be a restricted free agent when the deal expires.

The 6-foot-1 Finn recorded five assists while logging 16:10 of average ice time through 17 regular-season games with the Jets in 2019-20.

Winnipeg selected Niku in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

The Jets are currently $700,000 over the salary cap with one outstanding restricted free agent to sign in forward Jack Roslovic.

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Former Boston University forward Travis Roy died at the age of 45 on Thursday due to complications from his paralysis.

Roy suffered a career-ending injury as a 20-year-old freshman just 11 seconds into his college hockey career in 1995-96. He crashed headfirst into the boards after checking an opponent from North Dakota, and the accident left him as a quadriplegic.

"It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Travis Roy," Boston University said in a statement Thursday. "His story is the epitome of inspiration and courage, and he was a role model and a hero to so many people. ... His legacy will last forever, not just within the Boston University community, but with the countless lives he has impacted across the country."

Roy went on to become a motivational speaker and advocate for the disabled. He started the Travis Roy Foundation in 1996 to fund research and help other spinal cord-injury survivors.

The hockey world took to social media to remember Roy with an outpouring of warm messages and condolences.

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The Calgary Flames aren't done adding to the roster this offseason.

General manager Brad Treliving is looking to add an experienced right-side defenseman, TSN's Darren Dreger reported Thursday.

The Flames lost longtime rearguard T.J. Brodie, who played the right side on the club's top pair, in free agency this offseason. Treliving added Chris Tanev to fill that void, but hopes to add more depth on the blue line.

Here's how Calgary's back end currently shapes up:

Sami Vatanen and former Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic are intriguing right-side options, but Calgary has just $1 million in projected cap space and still needs to sign Oliver Kylington - a restricted free agent - to a new deal.

More realistic free-agent options include veterans Andy Greene and Ron Hainsey. The Flames could address their need via trade as well.

Calgary finished 17th defensively in 2019-20, allowing 3.03 goals against per game.

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The Hockey Diversity Alliance is challenging the NHL and Arizona Coyotes to sign its pledge after the Coyotes recently drafted Mitchell Miller, who was convicted of assaulting a Black teen with disabilities four years ago.

"The Coyotes' drafting of Mitchell Miller - who was convicted of bullying a developmentally disabled, Black classmate, and according to the victim's family has not personally apologized - shows that 'zero tolerance' of racism can't be taken for granted in the NHL. The NHL and the Coyotes should sign the HDA pledge and start practicing what they preach," the HDA said Wednesday.

The alliance's statement referenced item No. 6 of the HDA's pledge, which asks the NHL to agree not to "support, partner with, or accept support from any organization that has engaged in, promoted, or failed to appropriately respond to racist conduct in their organization of any kind (including, without limitation, the proliferation of hate speech, discrimination in the provision of goods, services and facilities, and other areas such as employment)."

Isaiah Meyer-Crothers said Miller bullied him for years physically, and repeatedly called him the N-word. In 2016, Miller and another boy were charged with assault and violating the Ohio Safe Schools Act after they were accused of making Crothers eat a candy that had been rubbed in a urinal.

"It hurt my heart, to be honest," Crothers said of Mitchell being drafted, according to Craig Harris and Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic. "It's stupid that they (Coyotes) didn't go back and look what happened in the past, but I can't do anything about it."

Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said the club drafted Mitchell because Arizona "felt it was our responsibility to be a part of the solution in a real way." Gutierrez was named to the NHL's Executive Inclusion Council last month.

The HDA cut ties with the NHL earlier this month, calling the league's anti-racism measures "performative public relations efforts."

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The Carolina Hurricanes signed defenseman Haydn Fleury to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.3 million, the team announced Tuesday.

Fleury was a restricted free agent and had an arbitration hearing scheduled for Nov. 8.

The 24-year-old rearguard appeared in 45 regular-season games for the Hurricanes in 2019-20, contributing four goals and 10 assists while logging 13:40 of average ice time. Fleury saw an uptick in usage in the playoffs, averaging 16:17 of ice time while contributing two goals over eight contests.

Carolina drafted Fleury seventh overall in 2014.

The Hurricanes have just over $3 million in projected cap space with only one outstanding restricted free agent in forward Warren Foegele. The 24-year-old has a salary arbitration date set for Nov. 4.

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