The Arizona Coyotes will be the first NHL team to utilize a fully relaxed dress code, according to an ESPN survey of all 32 franchises.

The NHL is the only major North American league that carries a strict dress code. Exhibit 14, Paragraph 5 of the collective bargaining agreement states: "Players are required to wear jackets, ties and dress pants to all club games and while traveling to and from such games unless otherwise specified by the head coach or general manager."

Coyotes chief brand officer Alex Meruelo Jr. floated the idea of ditching suits to the team last season, and they're going to run with it full time in 2021-22.

"(Meruelo) is very open to the idea of going to the game and growing our fan base and anything we can do to be a little unique and different, they're always open to trying different things," Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun said to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

"To be the first team to go no dress code was awesome. The guys loved it. I think it's great to be able to show a bit of your personality and your closet other than just your suits. I had fun with it. I enjoyed it. I'm glad it's something we'll continue to do."

The NHL allowed players to dress as they wished for the 2020 bubble playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton but went back to traditional rules last season.

Sources told Kaplan that the NHLPA has been pushing for a league-wide change to dress code rules so players can express their personalities and help build individual brands.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Campbell knows the Toronto Maple Leafs face enormous pressure in 2021-22, but he believes yet another first-round elimination this past spring is all the motivation they need.

"There's no doubt in the desire to win and the things we're willing to do and just how much we care as a group," the netminder said of his team on the "NHL@TheRink" podcast Wednesday.

He added: "We're with the fans. We want it so bad. There's no excuses. We're using it to fuel us, and I think you'll see that, and you'll see it this season with the way we come out this year."

After finishing first the realigned North Division last season, the Maple Leafs blew a 3-1 first-round series lead versus the underdog Montreal Canadiens. It was the fifth straight year in which Toronto failed to win a series, extending a streak of postseason futility dating back to 2004.

Campbell isn't the first member of the club to make such comments this offseason. Hart Trophy finalist Auston Matthews claimed in August that the Maple Leafs' stretch of playoff anguish will make an eventual win "that much better." General manager Kyle Dubas said in July he's "willing to bet everything" on the core he's built breaking through this season.

Campbell took over as Toronto's starter last season, going 17-3-2 with a .921 save percentage before posting a .934 clip in the playoffs. It was his best campaign as a pro - but it wasn't enough for him.

"Ultimately, I had some personal success," the 29-year-old said. "But honestly, winning in the playoffs, that's our goal."

The Maple Leafs begin their regular season on Oct. 13 versus the Canadiens.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Longtime NHL referee Tim Peel recently opened up about the incident that ended his career this past season.

During a March contest between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings, a hot mic caught Peel saying he wanted to give Nashville a penalty early in the second period. Video of Peel's comments immediately went viral, and he was fired the following day.

"I was working with a veteran referee in Kelly Sutherland, who is one of the best in the NHL, and I think it was more my defense mechanism when I went over to the box," Peel said on Daily Faceoff's DFO Rundown podcast. "We take a lot of pride in the penalties that we call to make sure we call good NHL penalties and there's nothing worse than calling a weak penalty against a team and the other team scores on the power play.

"So I think it was my defense mechanism kicking in, more of an embarrassment thing to a guy that I really respected a lot in Kelly Sutherland and I said 'yeah it wasn’t much, I wanted to get a penalty' - which wasn't the case at all. I didn’t want to get a penalty against Nashville, and I just made a mistake. I made a tremendous error in judgement by choosing the words that I did."

Peel apologized to Predators general manager David Poile and head coach John Hynes after the game, but knew he would be facing serious repercussions.

"So I hear my phone vibrating on the corner and I go pick it up and it's my boss, Steven," Peel said. "The first thing I though was 'did we miss a goal?' And he said 'we've got a bigger problem' and he tells me. I didn't even remember it until I watched it. I turned to the (other refs) in the dressing room and went 'I may get fired tonight.'"

Peel was scheduled to retire at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. His career began in 1999 and he officiated over 1,300 games.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nazem Kadri isn't concerned about his reputation among his Colorado Avalanche teammates following his costly playoff suspension this past spring.

"They understand who I am as a person and what kind of character I have," Kadri said, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "I'd like to think I have everyone's respect in that locker room."

Kadri received an eight-game suspension after he hit St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in the head during Game 2 of their first-round series. It was the third time in four years Kadri received a multi-game ban in the postseason. The first two instances occurred while he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

His absence proved costly, as the Avalanche, Cup favorites after earning the Presidents' Trophy, were eliminated in six games by the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2.

Colorado star Mikko Rantanen backed Kadri heading into the new season.

"There's no trust issues," Rantanen said. "I don't really need to tell him what to do because he's a veteran guy. He's going to get over it for sure."

Kadri has registered 68 points in 107 games since joining the Avalanche ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. The 12-year NHL veteran is an unrestricted free agent at season's end.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig has been suspended one preseason game and one regular-season contest for cross-checking Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

The incident occurred in the second period of Sunday's exhibition clash between the two clubs. Greig played the puck in the defensive zone and caught an oncoming Dubois up high with an errant stick.

Greig was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play.

The Senators drafted Greig 28th overall in 2020. The 19-year-old is a candidate to make the team out of training camp, but his NHL debut - whenever it may be - will be delayed at least one game.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL concluded its investigation into gambling allegations against Evander Kane and found no evidence the San Jose Sharks forward wagered on any games.

"The investigation uncovered no evidence to corroborate Ms. Kane’s accusations that Mr. Kane bet or otherwise participated in gambling on NHL games, and no evidence to corroborate the allegations that Mr. Kane 'threw' games or did not put forward his best effort to help the Sharks win games," the league announced Wednesday. "To the contrary, the evidence raises doubts about the veracity of the allegations."

Kane's wife, Anna, alleged online in July that he gambled and threw his own games as a result of deep gambling debts. Kane denied the claims at the time but did recently admit his gambling addiction led him to file for bankruptcy earlier this year.

While the NHL considers the gambling case closed, the league announced it will be investigating additional unrelated allegations against Kane involving potential wrongdoing. The league provided no additional comments on the matter.

Kane, 30, is under contract with the Sharks for four more years. He led the club in scoring with 49 points in 56 games last season. However, reports surfaced this offseason that San Jose tried to trade the winger and several teammates don't want him back with the team.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly says his status as a pending unrestricted free agent isn't influencing his mindset for the 2021-22 campaign.

The 27-year-old is eligible to test the open market for the first time in his career next summer, and a potential extension for Rielly is a key storyline as Toronto enters a crucial season.

"I think you all know how I feel about being a Leaf. But there is a business aspect of it," Rielly said on the opening day of training camp Wednesday, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

He continued: "I totally understand it's a question that's worth asking. I'm just going to go about my business, prepare for the season. I feel great; I'm ready for the season. I understand the question. I think about it, too. But I'm just going to go about my business."

Rielly has made a team-friendly $5 million per season since signing a five-year pact in 2016. In that span, he ranks 14th among all blue-liners with 213 points in 336 games.

Toronto has $67.7 million committed to a 14-player roster in 2022-23, according to Cap Friendly. Keeping Rielly could prove difficult, as several defenders of his ilk signed new deals with cap hits in the $8-million to $9-million range this offseason.

The perennially cap-strapped Leafs let several key UFAs walk in recent years, including Zach Hyman, Frederik Andersen, James van Riemsdyk, and Tyler Bozak.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues have signed restricted free agent Robert Thomas to a two-year deal carrying a $2.8-million average annual value, the team announced Tuesday.

Thomas' entry-level contract expired after the 2020-21 season. He'll be an RFA again when his new deal comes to an end.

The Blues drafted Thomas 20th overall in 2017. He's recorded 87 points in 169 career games, and he helped the club capture its first Stanley Cup in 2019.

St. Louis now has all of its players under contract ahead of the start of training camp Thursday.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle is taking kindly to the Kraken's inaugural digs.

The NHL's newest franchise set a league record for most sales of a newly released jersey in its first five days of availability, NHL chief brand officer Brian Jennings told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

The previous record was set by the Vegas Golden Knights, who released their look as the NHL's 31st club in 2017.

"Vegas set a pretty high bar. The Kraken are blowing through it, hourly. It's a hot market right now," Jennings said.

The Kraken had a five-day period beginning Sept. 15 to sell the threads at their official team stores and online. Availability is now set to increase.

The top Kraken jersey-sellers include Philipp Grubauer, Brandon Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, and Jordan Eberle.

Seattle's debut season kicks off Oct. 12.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to a five-year contract extension worth $27 million, the team announced Tuesday.

Merzlikins will play out the 2021-22 campaign on his current deal, which pays him $4 million. His extension kicks in for 2022-23.

"Goaltending is a position of strength for our team and Elvis Merzlikins has been an important part of that over the past two seasons so we are very excited to have agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep him in Columbus for at least the next six years," said general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.

He added: "He is big, athletic, and has a tremendous passion for the game and we believe he will be an integral part of our success in the coming years."

Columbus drafted Merzlikins in the third round in 2014. He broke into the NHL in 2019-20 and has posted a .920 save percentage across 61 appearances.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.