Calgary Flames veteran Mikael Backlund won the 2023 King Clancy Memorial Trophy on Monday.

The award is given to the player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

Backlund edged New York Islanders captain Anders Lee and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse to earn the honor.

All 32 teams nominated a player for the award. Finalists were chosen by an executive committee led by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

Backlund is an ambassador for the ALS Society of Alberta, Kids Cancer Care, and Special Olympics Calgary, among other initiatives.

"I’ve always been inspired by people who help others that struggle," Backlund said. "I am aware that I have been given the opportunity to live a privileged life and know that a small gesture from me can mean the world to other people."

Backlund has spent his entire career with the Flames after being drafted 24th overall in 2007.

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Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos won the Mark Messier Leadership Award on Monday.

The honor has been given annually since 2007 to "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season." Nominees are suggested from fans and NHL team personnel, but the winner is selected by Messier.

More to come.

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The Carolina Hurricanes signed captain Jordan Staal to a four-year contract extension worth $2.9 million per season, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Staal was due for unrestricted free agency July 1 upon the expiry of the 10-year, $60-million pact he signed with the Canes in 2012.

The 34-year-old has been a two-way force throughout his tenure in Raleigh, racking up 397 points in 742 contests while earning Selke Trophy votes in eight different campaigns. He's worn the 'C' in Carolina for five seasons.

Staal also racked up 32 points in 63 playoff games with the Hurricanes. The franchise qualified for the postseason in five consecutive years, reaching the Eastern Conference Final twice.

Carolina had just over $24 million in financial wiggle room for the upcoming offseason before Staal's extension, according to Cap Friendly.

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Toronto Maple Leafs veteran Morgan Rielly doesn't care about the details of a potential Auston Matthews extension, he just hopes one gets signed.

"As a friend, a teammate, you name it, you want that guy on your team," Rielly told NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "I think he loves playing in Toronto, so if he comes back - long-term deal, short-term deal, whatever it is - we'll take it. He's a great player and helped our team tremendously over the years.

"I've got to know him, and obviously, his skill level and who he is as a player is extremely high level."

Matthews is entering the final year of a five-year, $58.1-million pact signed in 2019. He's eligible to sign an extension as of July 1, the same day his full no-move clause is triggered.

Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said an extension for the 2022 MVP is among his top priorities at his introductory press conference earlier this month. Matthews stated he wants a new deal before the start of the 2023-24 campaign after the club was eliminated from the playoffs by the Florida Panthers in Round 2.

The Maple Leafs star's current $11.64-million cap hit is the fourth-highest in the NHL. His next contract could exceed Nathan MacKinnon's $12.6-million benchmark. Matthews leads all players with 299 goals in 481 games since he entered the league as the first overall pick in 2016. He has two Maurice "Rocket" Richards, two All-Star nominations, and a Hart Trophy to his name.

Toronto qualified for the playoffs in each of Matthews' seven seasons but has only won one round - this spring against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matthews contributed 44 points in 50 career postseason appearances.

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Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith wholeheartedly believes Salt Lake City should be the NHL's next venture.

"I think, for a whole host of reasons, we're not only ready, but hockey would thrive here the same it has in Seattle and also in Vegas," Smith told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Smith has been in contact with commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly to express his sincere interest in bringing a team to Utah. The billionaire also raised eyebrows in April when he tweeted that bringing hockey to the state is "in motion."

A Salt Lake City NHL franchise could temporarily share Vivint Arena with the Jazz, a venue that Smith says can seat 14,000 for hockey events. The Los Angeles Kings have played preseason games at the venue numerous times since 2018.

It's unclear when the league may want to expand again after bringing in the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken in recent years, but there could be a relocation fit with the Arizona Coyotes. The club's future is in limbo after its latest bid for a new arena failed, and Daly said earlier this month that the clock is ticking for the Coyotes to find a long-term solution.

Smith is adamant Salt Lake City is the answer.

"Everything is close," he said. "We're the fastest-growing state. We're the youngest state. You look at our Utah Jazz, we sold out like 240 straight games in the NBA with three different makeups of a team, right? The fans, when they go in, they go in. We're starting to see this massive movement toward in-person sports, and I think it's definitely on the rise, and I'm really intrigued with hockey."

He added: "From my standpoint, we have a huge opportunity to build something unique. And I think hockey is a big catalyst for that. I think we can create an experience that's both incredible for the NBA and for hockey."

Smith became the majority owner of the Jazz in 2020. He also bought Real Salt Lake of the MLS in 2022 along with New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers owner David Blitzer.

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Calgary Flames veteran Tyler Toffoli doesn't intend to sign an extension, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

Toffoli is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $4.25-million cap hit, and will hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024. The Flames are likely to make the 31-year-old available for trade, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The Flames have a glut of 2024 free agents whose decisions will likely shape the path of the organization. Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov are all also one year from hitting the open market.

Hanifin is reportedly likely to be traded this offseason, and Lindholm and Backlund are leaning toward not signing extensions, Seravalli indicated.

Tofolli, Lindholm, and Backlund were three of Calgary's four leading scorers this past season.

The Flames parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Darryl Sutter after missing the playoffs this season. Calgary's disappointing campaign came on the heels of losing Johnny Gaudreau in free agency and trading Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers last summer.

At his introductory press conference, new Flames GM Craig Conroy said the club can't enter the season with seven UFAs. He vowed not to let another star player leave for nothing after the Gaudreau saga.

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The Hockey Hall of Fame caused quite a stir with its induction announcement on Wednesday, grouping a collection of long-retired hopefuls with bona fide first-year lock Henrik Lundqvist to make up the class of 2023.

Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, and Tom Barrasso rounded out the former NHLers to make this year's cut, and the Hall righted last year's wrong of omitting Canadian women's legend Caroline Ouellette. Both Vernon and Barrasso admitted they were stunned to receive hockey's highest honor this year.

The Hall of Fame had limited first-ballot stars to choose from this year, but 2024 offers a quality selection of debutants. Below, we dive into who has a chance of making the cut in their first try and also highlight the cases of those who've again been forced to wait another year.

Before we get into it, it's worth noting only four male players and two female players can be inducted per year. The selection committee consists of 18 members, and candidates to appear on 75% or higher of final ballots are elected. Ballots aren't made public.

Players who've been inactive from professional or international hockey for three full seasons, though still might not be technically retired, are eligible to be inducted.

Notable first-timers

Pavel Datsyuk

On paper, Datsyuk has the most surefire resume available next year. He played 14 years with the Detroit Red Wings and won the Stanley Cup twice, along with four Lady Byngs and three Selkes. He was named to the 100 Greatest NHL Players list and also has gold medals from the Olympics and the world championship, giving him "Triple Gold" status. Datsyuk featured an unmatchable blend of skill and two-way dominance throughout his entire career and produced some of the most memorable highlights in league history. He was nicknamed "The Magic Man" for a reason.

His on-ice credentials are second-to-none among 2024's first-year eligibles, but the Hall may be hesitant to enshrine a Russian international given the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Patrick Marleau

Marleau will garner a ton of attention through next year's voting process as the league's all-time leader in games played. Longevity is often important for Hall of Fame players, and the Saskatchewan native leads the pack while also ranking 23rd on the all-time goals list. Every player ahead of him in that regard has already been enshrined - save for Alex Ovechkin, who'll certainly headline his class three years after his career ends.

The Stanley Cup eluded Marleau throughout his 23-year career, even though he qualified for the postseason in 20 of those campaigns. Marleau doesn't have individual hardware but captured two gold medals with Canada at the Olympics and was a model of consistency, with 15 campaigns of 20-plus goals.

Shea Weber

Weber is under contract on the Arizona Coyotes' books until 2026, but debilitating injuries forced him to end his playing days after the Montreal Canadiens' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. Weber was one of the most physically dominant blue-liners of his generation and had underrated offensive prowess accentuated by a terrifyingly powerful slapshot.

From 2008-09 to 2015-16, Weber's age-23-to-30 seasons, he ranked third among all blue-liners in points (373) and first in goals (141) while averaging over 25 minutes per game. Over that same span, he was a four-time All-Star, three-time Norris Trophy finalist, and two-time Olympic champion. He was a tournament All-Star at the 2010 games in Vancouver and also has world junior, World Cup, and world championship gold medals on his international resume. Weber's hard-nosed style made his peak short, but he was unquestionably one of the best in the world at his position for a significant chunk of his career.

Pekka Rinne

Barrasso and Vernon getting in could open the door for a collection of modern netminders that boast far superior statistics. Rinne may not have previously been considered to be a first-ballot candidate, but he possesses more wins than Barrasso and is only 16 shy of Vernon in the same category while ranking 16th all time in save percentage among netminders to play at least 200 games. Rinne won a Vezina Trophy at 35 years old in 2018, was a finalist on three other occasions, and despite never winning a Stanley Cup, managed a respectable .914 clip in 89 postseason appearances.

Differentiating between eras has always been a difficult task for the Hall of Fame, especially for goaltenders, but the debate is set to take a whole new direction after two surprise inductions in 2023.

Ryan Miller

Miller owns a similar case to Rinne, producing a single Vezina Trophy while trailing his 2024 first-year counterpart in career save percentage but leading in victories. He posted seven consecutive 30-plus-win seasons with the Buffalo Sabres from 2005-06 to 2011-12 and hit the 40-win plateau twice over that span. Miller doesn't have much playoff success to his credit but won tournament MVP at the 2010 Olympics after carrying the United States to a silver medal. He likely won't be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but expect his case to be debated for years to come.

Ilya Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk was one of the most dynamic players the NHL had to offer in his prime, but his Hall of Fame case is bound to be hotly contested. He doesn't have a Stanley Cup, 1,000 games played, or 1,000 points but is 69th all time in goals (37th on a per-game basis) while owning two All-Star selections and a Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. He captured nine consecutive 30-goal seasons from 2003-04 to 2009-10 and eclipsed the illustrious 50-goal mark in two campaigns.

He also won an Olympic gold, two world championships, and three Gagarin Cups in the KHL. Representing Russia for all his international accolades will likely hurt his candidacy, as will his controversial early retirement after signing a 15-year contract with the New Jersey Devils. Kovalchuk's talent was Hall of Fame worthy, but it would be surprising if the rest of his reputation was overlooked to make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Longtime leftovers

Alexander Mogilny

For what feels like the zillionth year running, Mogilny was the Hockey Hall of Fame's biggest snub. Despite retiring in 2006 as a Triple Gold Club member with a career 1.04 points per game and an inspirational trail-blazing story as the first player to defect from the Soviet Union, Mogilny was inexplicably passed over again. No transparency from the selection committee is a major issue in general, but Mogilny's case is by far the most deserving of clarification from those in charge.

Keith Tkachuk

While Vernon's and Barrasso's inductions may make it easier for fringe goalies to get the call down the road, Turgeon's selection could do the same for skaters with impressive point totals hampered by small trophy cases. Turgeon was the highest-scoring player not in the Hall of Fame before he was chosen, and Tkachuk will be the most prolific goal-scorer - active players notwithstanding - outside the Hall should Marleau get inducted. If being 34th all time in goals isn't enough to squeak in, Tkachuk has a world championship gold, Olympic silver, and two All-Star selections to pad his resume.

Rod Brind'Amour

Brind'Amour has been eligible for the Hall of Fame for more than a decade now but hasn't been deemed worthy yet. He captained the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup in 2006, won a pair of Selkes, and snagged a gold medal with Canada at the world championship. Perhaps the Hall is waiting for Brind'Amour's coaching career to end before seriously considering his candidacy, as he's already won a Jack Adams Award and is in charge of a perennial championship contender.

Curtis Joseph

Joseph must be wondering what he has to do to earn a call from the Hall of Fame after Wednesday's news. While Vernon and Barrasso can hold championships over Cujo's head, he can claim more Hall-worthy statistics. Joseph is seventh all time in games played by a goalie and seventh in wins, and now that Lundqvist has been chosen, Cujo stands to be the only netminder inside the top 10 in victories who hasn't been enshrined, assuming Marc-Andre Fleury gets the call one day.

Joseph played in an era stacked with legendary goaltenders like Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, and Ed Belfour but was still a Vezina finalist three times and a top-five choice twice more. His best shot to win top goalie came in 1993 when he posted 57 goals saved above average, the fifth-highest mark ever in a single season, for a mediocre St. Louis Blues squad.

Jennifer Botterill

Botterill has been eligible for the Hall since 2014 but was skipped over again this year for reasons unknown. She's a five-time world champion and three-time Olympic champion while also holding the NCAA record with 340 points in 113 games through four seasons at Harvard. With two spots for women inductees each year, it's hard to justify Botterill's omission.

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Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser and general manager Patrik Allvin appear ready to put trade drama in the past.

Boeser has been linked with a move for multiple seasons and was widely considered a top trade candidate at the 2023 deadline after requesting a move amid a difficult year. He ultimately rescinded the request, and Allvin believes Boeser's revitalized form after the club hired Rick Tocchet as head coach will carry into next season.

"There was definitely a significant improvement in Brock's game and how he played," Allvin said Wednesday. "He definitely made it clear to myself and the coaching staff that he was excited about the vision and the path of this team and wanted to make sure that … he wanted to be part of it."

"I'm excited to see Brock coming back in September ready to go," he added.

Boeser admitted in March that seeing his name in trade discussions negatively affected his on-ice performance and said it was a "relief" he wasn't dealt.

The 26-year-old is under contract for two more seasons at a $6.65-million cap hit. Boeser managed 55 points in 74 contests in 2022-23 but had the worst goal-scoring season of his career on a per-game basis (0.24).

The Canucks drafted Boeser 23rd overall in 2015. He's produced 311 points in 398 games with the club and was the Calder Trophy runner-up in 2018 after a 29-goal campaign.

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The 2023 Stanley Cup has been awarded, and while the Vegas Golden Knights light up the strip in Sin City with what projects to be an all-time championship celebration, hockey fans are shifting their focus to the beginning of offseason transactions.

The draft, free agency, and plenty of trades await before the league truly settles down for the dog days of summer, and several pertinent storylines across the NHL require answers. With that in mind, here are five lingering offseason questions to chew on before the action gets underway.

Can Brad Treliving extend Auston Matthews?

Kyle Dubas' messy exit from the Toronto Maple Leafs' general manager chair and the impending hiring of Brad Treliving made major waves as the playoffs raged on, and now that the Cup has been dished out, the pressure on Treliving to lock up the face of his franchise is set to grow exponentially with each passing day.

Treliving called a new Matthews deal his top priority at his introductory press conference, and it's difficult to ignore the addition of Shane Doan - an Arizona icon and one of Matthews' childhood idols - to the front office as negotiations loom. Matthews stated he's keen on signing an extension before the puck drops on the 2023-24 campaign, but mutual interest isn't nearly enough to make a deal of this magnitude a walk in the park.

Treliving needs to do his best to establish a team-first culture that didn't seem to exist under the previous regime because even if Matthews signs, negotiations with William Nylander (2024 UFA) and Mitch Marner (2025 UFA) are right around the corner. Offering Matthews less than he thinks he deserves is a dicey maneuver because, in this instance, the player holds almost all of the leverage.

His full no-move clause kicks in on July 1, and the Leafs can't risk Matthews walking for nothing a year from now. The 2022 MVP and two-time goal-scoring king will undoubtedly push to be near Nathan MacKinnon's league-high $12.6-million cap hit regardless of term. But the Colorado Avalanche great signed for eight years - something Matthews already decided against coming out of his entry-level contract. Theoretically, Matthews could sign a three-to-five-year deal and have one more chance to cash in around 30 years old, which is well within his rights. But if that's all Treliving can get, his tenure will be off to a rocky start in the eyes of a restless fanbase.

How many blockbuster trades can we expect?

The unrestricted free-agent market this summer is underwhelming, to say the least. There's no headliner like many years past, and while the Canada Day festivities may lack fireworks, there's one pretty strong consolation prize for fans craving player movement this summer: trades.

There's already been a pair of notable deals with Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson landing in Columbus, and based on all the rumors flying around, more blockbusters await. Will the San Jose Sharks cash in on Erik Karlsson's historic season? Are the Winnipeg Jets going to gouge their long-standing core? Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor Hellebuyck have already expressed their desire to find greener pastures, and the writing could be on the wall as well for veterans Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.

The Ottawa Senators are fielding offers on two-time 40-goal winger Alex DeBrincat, same with the Washington Capitals and forward Anthony Mantha. Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Flyers are trending toward a fire sale, the Calgary Flames have a glut of key players entering the final years of their contracts, and cap-strapped teams like the Boston Bruins may need to sacrifice high earners in order to become financially compliant.

Free agency may not produce much of a frenzy, but there should be no shortage of exciting transactions this summer.

Who will cash in on weak free-agent market?

We've already established the lack of appeal within this year's crop of UFAs, but that won't stop front offices across the league from scouring the list of available players to find some hidden value or perhaps overpay to make a splash out of desperation. While there are no superstars available, there are plenty of recognizable names that'll be putting pen to paper, including Dmitry Orlov, Ryan O'Reilly, and Vladimir Tarasenko. Veterans like Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane are also unrestricted, but the threat of retirement and injuries loom over the future Hall of Famers.

None of the players above are feasible long-term options. Even this year's most productive pending free agent - Alex Killorn, and his 64 points - carries significant red flags as a 33-year-old with a ton of extra mileage from Tampa Bay's deep playoff runs over the years. So who out there's worth buying?

Below are some players we think have the best chances of walking away from the hoopla notably richer. Contract projections are courtesy of Evolving-Hockey:

These totals pale in comparison to some of the mega deals we've seen in recent years, but the lavish spending projects to be back on track in 2024 with an increased salary cap for a star-studded list of UFAs.

Can Sabres use cap space to take next step?

The Buffalo Sabres were one of the biggest surprises this past season, finishing one point outside the playoffs while boasting one of the league's most dangerous attacks. There's no question Kevyn Adams has built a group on the upswing, and with nearly $17 million in cap space available this summer and over $49 million in 2024, the Sabres have the ammunition to ascend into contender status sooner rather than later.

It's worth noting Buffalo only has nine players signed beyond next season, and a Rasmus Dahlin extension (he's eligible for one on July 1) will likely take up a significant slice of the pie. However, that shouldn't stop Adams from actively seeking improvements this summer, as defensive depth and goaltending are areas of need. Spending lavishly in a barren free-agent market shouldn't be the goal this year, but using a top-tier prospect pipeline to get better now is worth considering.

A veteran goalie like Hellebuyck or John Gibson, also rumored to be on the block, would be a terrific mentor for Devon Levi and a highly serviceable stopgap until the youngster is ready to take the reins. Buffalo ranked 29th in five-on-five save percentage last season and needs to improve immediately if it's serious about making the playoffs.

The Sabres have two blue-line cornerstones in Dahlin and Owen Power, but an extra reliable veteran or two on the back end could go a long way in reinforcing Buffalo's chances in a deep Atlantic Division. The Blues, Kings, and Bruins all have experienced blue-liners that may need to be offloaded this summer, and if there's no fit in the trade market, Adams could stir the pot and try his luck with an offer sheet for high-end talents like Vince Dunn or K'Andre Miller.

How aggressive will Daniel Briere get?

While the Sabres are among the teams on the upswing this summer, the Flyers are the headliners among squads headed in the opposite direction. Briere pulled off some tidy work in the three-team trade that sent Provorov to the Blue Jackets, and many feel the move is the tip of the offseason iceberg for the rookie GM.

Travis Konecny, Carter Hart, and Scott Laughton are all rumored to be getting significant attention from potential suitors, and dealing any - or all - of them could shift the Flyers' imminent rebuild into overdrive. None of the three have trade protection, and all come with contract control to further boost their value. Konecny is under contract for two more years at $5.5 million, Laughton's deal costs a modest $3 million until 2026, and Hart is an RFA after his contract expires next season.

Each player could fetch a first-round pick and a top-end prospect, at the very least. With two first-rounders in each of the next two drafts already, Briere could aggressively add to an enviable stockpile of future selections if he shops his most attractive trade chips leading up to this month's festivities in Nashville.

Shipping out three talented core players in short order may be difficult for Flyers fans to swallow, but the organization has lacked a long-term vision for years, and Briere has been presented with a golden opportunity to establish a roadmap to contention within his first year in the chair.

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Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla is joining the club's front office as a special adviser to new general manager Craig Conroy, the team announced Thursday.

"Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL," Conroy said. "That day has finally come and I'm happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup."

Iginla and Conroy were Flames teammates from 2001-04, then again from 2007-11 after the latter's brief stint with the Los Angeles Kings. The pair played key roles in helping Calgary reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2004, where they fell short against the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.

"I am grateful to the Flames ownership and (Conroy) for this opportunity to transition my career back to the NHL," Iginla said. "It's a very well-earned acknowledgment for Conny as general manager and I am looking forward to supporting him and the team in a more engaged capacity."

The Hockey Hall of Famer will advise Conroy in all aspects of hockey operations, but will keep his coaching responsibilities with RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia, next season. Iginla's son Tij, a 2024 NHL draft prospect, was traded to the WHL's Kelowna Rockets earlier in June.

Iginla is the Flames' all-time leader in games played (1,209), goals (525), and points (1,095). Calgary retired his No. 12 in 2019, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2020.

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