All posts by Sean O'Leary

Galchenyuk pleads guilty to misdemeanor, 5 other charges dropped

Alex Galchenyuk pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor threatening charge in Scottsdale City Court on Monday, according to documents obtained by The Athletic's Katie Strang.

Five other charges against Galchenyuk stemming from his early July arrest were dismissed. The 29-year-old was arrested on numerous charges, including private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest, and threatening or intimidating. A police report said he threatened to kill an officer and their family and used a racist slur during the arrest.

Galchenyuk was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days being suspended upon completing a recovery program, and 12 months without consuming or possessing alcohol.

The Arizona Coyotes terminated Galchenyuk's contract on July 13, two weeks after signing him to a one-year deal.

Galchenyuk entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program following his arrest.

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Veteran netminder Bernier retires after 14 NHL seasons

Jonathan Bernier is hanging up his pads after 14 NHL seasons, the netminder announced Monday.

"There are no words to express my gratitude to everyone who has been part of my hockey journey since Day 1, without all of you, I couldn't have done it," he wrote on Instagram.

Bernier spent the entire 2022-23 season on long-term injured reserve due to a hip injury. He joined the New Jersey Devils in 2021 on a two-year, $8.25-million contract but only appeared in 10 games with the club.

The Los Angeles Kings drafted Bernier with the 11th overall pick in 2006. The 35-year-old played five seasons in Hollywood before stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings.

Bernier appeared in 404 games throughout his career, earning 165 wins while posting a .912 save percentage.

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Oilers’ Skinner hopes to perform ‘a lot better’ in 2nd season

Despite a strong rookie campaign, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is targeting improvement in the 2023-24 season.

Last season, the 24-year-old emerged as Edmonton's starter, earned an All-Star nomination, and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy. However, Skinner believes he has more to give in his sophomore campaign to aid the Oilers' Stanley Cup aspirations.

"It honestly felt like I was going into something I was already ready for," Skinner told NHL.com's Aaron Vickers. "It felt pretty good just going in there right away, and the guys made me feel at home and made me feel like a big part of the family right away.

"I know for my rookie year it seems everything went pretty good and pretty smoothly, but I learned a lot of lessons. I've got much, much better to bring next year, and hopefully, I'm going to do that my whole career. I know it was a good year, but I know I've got a lot better."

Skinner finished the season with a 29-14-5 record and .913 save percentage. He outperformed Jack Campbell, who was tabbed as Edmonton's No. 1 netminder after signing a five-year contract with the club last summer.

Despite a strong regular-season showing, Skinner struggled immensely in the playoffs as the Oilers fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2. Edmonton pulled him numerous times across his 12 starts, and he registered an .883 save percentage and 3.68 goals against average.

A better postseason is a key point of focus for Skinner.

"I think success in Season 2 is just sticking to who I am and just trying to get better every single day," he said. "Obviously, I want to go in there and I want to win the Stanley Cup. That's the ultimate goal for the Edmonton Oilers this year and, hopefully, for the next few years. I'm going to do my best to bring that role of stopping as many pucks as I can and just doing what I need to do as a teammate."

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Lidstrom, Byfuglien among stars to suit up in Hossa’s ‘goodbye game’

A deep group of superstars is taking the ice in Slovakia on Friday as a farewell to Marian Hossa, whose career ended suddenly following the 2016-17 season due to a rare skin condition.

The roster features prominent Slovakian compatriots and some of the biggest names Hossa played with throughout a 19-year NHL career that included stints with the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks.

Hossa's career ended at 38 years old with three seasons remaining on the 12-year, $63-million megadeal he signed with Chicago in 2009. The Blackhawks traded Hossa to the Arizona Coyotes in 2018 for salary cap purposes, but he never played a game with the franchise.

The Senators drafted Hossa 12th overall in 1997, and he accumulated 1,134 points over 1,309 career games. Hossa won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and had his number retired by the organization this past season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.

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Toews pens thank-you letter to Chicago as future remains unclear

Jonathan Toews thanked the Chicago Blackhawks and fans in a letter posted to Instagram on Thursday, months after his lengthy tenure with the club ended.

"It's hard to find words to describe the 16-year journey that has made this city my home," Toews wrote.

"Aside from winning three Stanley Cups, the parades, and the countless memories made with my teammates, what is most special to me was feeling a true connection to the people of this city. To Blackhawks fans, It was surreal to witness and be a part of the revival of hockey in Chicago. There was nothing like the roar of the Madhouse when we scored a big goal to tie it or win it late in a game.

"As players, we tried to reciprocate that heart and soul energy we felt from you. I honestly believe it's what made us so tough to beat in the later games of a playoff series. You are the best fans in the world, and I'm so thankful we shared so many special moments together."

Toews hit the open market upon the expiration of the eight-year, $84-million contract he signed with the Blackhawks in 2014. The organization told its longtime captain in April that it wouldn't re-sign him with the team rebuilding.

The 35-year-old received an emotional farewell during his final home game at the United Center to close out the regular season.

Health issues severely impacted Toews' recent seasons. He missed the entire 2020-21 campaign while dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and symptoms of long COVID. The same symptoms forced him to sit out two months in 2022-23.

Toews detailed his illness in March, saying it got to the point that he didn't want to "roll out of bed to come to the rink."

It's unclear if Toews will find a new team or retire. He posted 31 points in 53 games last season while averaging nearly 18 minutes per contest.

But his reputation as a future Hall of Famer will likely have more influence on potential suitors than his recent production. Toews captained Chicago to three championships and won the Conn Smythe in 2010 and the Selke Trophy in 2013. He was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history during the 2017-18 campaign.

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Four-time Cup winner Bob Baun dies at 86

Toronto Maple Leafs icon and four-time Stanley Cup winner Bob Baun has died at 86 years old, the NHL Alumni Association announced Tuesday.

Baun suited up for the Maple Leafs for 14 seasons and also had brief stints with the Oakland Seals and Detroit Red Wings across a 17-year NHL career.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Baun, whose enduring legacy of remarkable resilience includes his iconic overtime game-winning goal during a Stanley Cup Final despite playing with a broken leg," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement.

"Bob possessed unquestionable toughness and incredible pride in being a Toronto Maple Leaf. His inspirational presence continues to embody the heart of the game. He will be greatly missed by the team and its fans. Our thoughts are with Bob's loved ones during this difficult time."

Baun famously scored the overtime winner in Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Final despite breaking his ankle earlier in the contest. The goal forced Game 7 and helped propel Toronto to its third consecutive championship.

He racked up 224 points in 964 career games and finished top-five in Norris Trophy voting on three occasions.

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Makar: Comparisons to Bobby Orr ‘hard for me to comprehend’

Colorado Avalanche blue-liner Cale Makar has heard the comparisons to Bobby Orr, but he doesn't consider himself anywhere close to the most famous defenseman in NHL history.

"Those are crazy comments. To be compared to a guy like that is crazy," Makar told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "It's hard for me to comprehend that. I'm 24. The amount that he accomplished in his career is pretty much insurmountable. I'm nowhere near that point yet. Obviously, a comparison is a comparison. But for me, (I'm) just kind of bringing it down to Earth a little bit."

He added: "Anytime you're compared to somebody like that, obviously, you're humbled. But at the same time, I just feel like I've almost done nothing yet here. I'm still so young."

During Colorado's Stanley Cup run in 2022, Wayne Gretzky said Makar is the closest player the league has seen since Orr. This past summer, Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy shared the same opinion.

Makar's point production through his first four seasons has been similar to Orr's. However, the Boston Bruins legend was more decorated at the same stage of his career and set a ridiculously high bar with his body of work afterward.

Makar (Ages 21-24) Category Orr (Ages 18-21)
238 GP 250
246 (65G-181A) Points 256 (78G-178A)
1 Norris Trophy 3
1 Stanley Cups 1
1 Conn Smythe 1
1 Calder 1
0 Hart Trophy 1
0 Art Ross 1
3 All-Star nominations 4

Orr went on to play five more full seasons before debilitating knee injuries kept him off the ice for much of his final three campaigns. From age 22 to 26, he collected the Norris Trophy each year, two more MVPs, and one more Cup and Conn Smythe, as well as an additional Art Ross. Orr also eclipsed 100 points in all of those seasons, including 139 in 1970-71 - an NHL record by defensemen.

Orr is the all-time leader in points per game by a defenseman (1.39) and ranks fifth overall behind only Gretzky (1.92), Mario Lemieux (1.88), Mike Bossy (1.49), and Connor McDavid (1.49). The only other blue-liner above the point-per-game threshold is Paul Coffey (1.09), but Makar (1.03) is on track to this point.

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Couture pledges loyalty to Sharks: ‘I want to turn this thing around’

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture isn't planning an exit from the Bay Area as the club looks to become competitive again.

"If I thought it was going to be a five-, six-, seven-year rebuild, then obviously things would change," Couture told NHL.com's Jon Lane.

"But I think (general manager) Mike (Grier) has done a good job of retooling (with) some really good (draft) picks. It's tough to predict what happens a couple of years from now, but I'm excited about this season. I want to turn this thing around here in San Jose. I think they have the management group to do it. They have a great coaching staff that's going to get things going."

San Jose finished 29th in the league last season with a 22-44-16 record - its lowest win total in a full campaign since Couture joined the club in 2009-10.

The Sharks have signified their intentions to rebuild in recent months by trading former franchise cornerstones Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson in separate deals. Couture could theoretically be an attractive trade chip as well, but the 34-year-old doesn't intend to trigger the modified no-trade clause in his contract that allows him to submit a list of three teams he'd accept a deal to.

"Change is hard, and if there ever comes a day where it has to happen and I think it's best for myself and my family, then we'll come to that," Couture said. "I'm sure down the road maybe my role diminishes on the ice, but for now I want to do whatever I can to help this team and be the best player that I can be for the Sharks."

Couture is under contract through 2027 at a cap hit of $8 million. He ranked second in Sharks' scoring last season with 67 points in 82 games while logging over 19 minutes per night.

San Jose drafted Couture ninth overall in 2007. He's racked up 700 points in 927 regular-season games and added 101 more in 116 playoff contests.

The Sharks named Couture captain ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

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Hoffman looking forward to legitimate stint with Sharks

Mike Hoffman is excited to be a San Jose Shark again but for real this time.

The veteran sniper is a member of the Bay Area club for the second time in his career after being included in the three-team deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins last week. The Sharks acquired Hoffman for the first time in 2018 but flipped him to the Florida Panthers on the same day.

"It's funny how we're circling back to, maybe, four years ago," Hoffman said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Josh Frojelin.

"Maybe longer. I was only there for maybe an hour the last time, and it looks like it might be a little longer than that this time. Like I said, it's a great opportunity, it's gonna be a cool experience, and looking forward to it."

Although Hoffman never officially suited up for the Sharks after the first trade, he made an impact among loyal San Jose fans.

Hoffman spent the past two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. He has one year remaining on his current contract at a cap hit of $4.5 million before hitting unrestricted free agency.

The 33-year-old winger has eclipsed the 20-goal mark on six occasions since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2014-15. However, Hoffman produced his lowest total over that span in 2022-23 with 14 goals.

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Brandon Sutter joining Oilers on PTO after missing 2 seasons

Veteran center Brandon Sutter is joining the Edmonton Oilers for training camp in September on a professional tryout agreement, according to team reporter Bob Stauffer.

Sutter hasn't played the past two seasons due to long-term COVID symptoms. He was one of several Vancouver Canucks to test positive during the 2021 campaign but returned to the ice to finish the year.

The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal with Vancouver for 2021-22 but didn't suit up for the duration of the contract due to his health.

Sutter has played in 770 NHL games split between the Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Pittsburgh Penguins. The 2007 11th overall pick has registered 152 goals and 137 assists over his career.

The Oilers are thin on center depth, but Sutter will have to come cheap if he parlays his audition into a contract. Edmonton has $3.5 million in cap space, according to Cap Friendly, and still needs to sign restricted free-agent star Evan Bouchard.

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