Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin refuted speculation Saturday that contract negotiations with star forward Kirill Kaprizov have stalled.
"We've never cut off (contract) talks," Guerin said, per NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. "It's not like we're talking every day, but there's nothing that's been cut off or dried up or anything like that. It's just an ongoing process.
"Sometimes it takes three days. Sometimes it takes three months. ... But we have plans to talk next week. It has not gone cold, contrary to what some people have reported."
Guerin added: "We have plans to really get going."
Kaprizov is an impending restricted free agent. He's not eligible for an offer sheet as he's only played one NHL campaign.
Minnesota drafted Kaprizov 135th overall in 2015, but he spent the following five seasons in the KHL before coming to North America. Kaprizov claimed the Calder Trophy this past campaign after leading all freshmen in goals (27) and points (51).
The Wild have just over $16 million in cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly, after they inked Joel Eriksson Ek to an eight-year, $42-million contract Friday. In addition to Kaprizov, Minnesota also plans to sign another impending RFA forward in Kevin Fiala.
Carey Price has revealed the first Stanley Cup Final of his illustrious career isn't going according to plan after a disheartening 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 on Friday night.
The Montreal Canadiens star goaltender said his play hasn't been meeting his standards, with his club sitting one loss from a sweep.
"I can definitely play better," Price said, per NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "It's just not good enough so far."
Price had been sensational in the first three rounds, authoring a .934 save percentage across 17 starts. In three games against the Lightning, Price owns an .835 clip with 13 goals against.
Now facing elimination, the 33-year-old said he and his teammates have no other option but to leave it all on the ice.
"We don't have a choice," Price said. "We've overcome adversity all season. Our backs are obviously against the wall, so we've got to start bringing our best."
Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke says general manager Ron Francis has the green light to spend in the organization's inaugural season.
"Our GM has lots of options," Leiweke told The Athletic's Ryan Clark. "What owners want is for our GM to build a long-term winner. He’s gotta figure out how to do that. If that strategy involves us going to cap in Year 1, he has the authority to do it.
"I think that is one of the reasons we are all optimistic. We have this fan base. We have this arena. We have the Kraken Community Iceplex and owners willing to give Ron resources. Our hope that is we are going to reward these fans, who have been incredible, with a competitive team for years to come."
Seattle's expansion draft is scheduled for July 21 and follows the same rules the Vegas Golden Knights adhered to in 2017. It will be difficult to spend anywhere near the NHL's $81.5 million limit while simply taking exposed players, but the club could take advantage of teams facing salary cap issues by manufacturing side trades for stronger assets like Vegas did.
The Kraken have signed just one player, minor-leaguer Luke Henman, since officially becoming the league's 32nd franchise. The franchise recently hired Dave Hakstol as its first head coach.
Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme will be back behind the bench for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night.
Ducharme had been in isolation for 14 days after testing positive for COVID-19. The bench boss' positive result came after Game 2 of the club's third-round series versus the Vegas Golden Knights.
"I don't think the last two weeks changes what it means to me," Ducharme said, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "That's everyone's dream, to be playing or being involved in a Stanley Cup Final. I'm just so happy to be back."
Assistant Luke Richardson took over head coaching duties in Ducharme's absence and guided Montreal to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1993, defeating Vegas in six games.
Ducharme replaced Claude Julien as the Canadiens' head coach midseason.
The Habs trail the Tampa Bay Lighting 2-0 as the series shifts to Montreal.
Arvidsson, 28, is coming off a disappointing 2020-21 season in which he had 25 points in 50 games. However, the two-time 30-goal-scorer was hindered by a 6.6% shooting percentage, which is well below his career average.
Viktor Arvidsson, reportedly acquired by LA, is a solid second line goal scorer who had a pretty bad and uncharacteristic shooting slump this season. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/Wj5ULirM9Y
The Predators drafted Arvidsson in the fourth round in 2014. He's recorded 239 points in 385 games across seven campaigns. Arvidsson has three seasons remaining on his contract with a $4.25-million cap hit.
"The refs have such a tough job to do. The game is so quick and things happen so fast. ... However, I do wish there was maybe a little more consistency," McDavid said, per The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "That's what we're looking for as players."
McDavid added: "The other sports have been able to do that from the regular season to the playoffs."
Numerous controversial calls have drawn the ire of fans, players, and pundits alike throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the matter at his annual press conference Monday, saying the NHL employs the "best officials in any sport."
McDavid's brief postseason became a part of the officiating controversy after he didn't earn a single penalty call in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1. The Oilers captain ranked second in the NHL with 22 drawn infractions in the regular season.
McDavid also didn't draw a penalty during Edmonton's qualifying-round loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020.
The 24-year-old won the Hart Trophy this season after leading the league with 105 points.
The pending unrestricted free agent is comfortable sharing the net with Jack Campbell going forward, LeBrun adds.
Campbell took over the starter's role this past season as Andersen struggled with injury and poor play. The 29-year-old went 17-3-2 with a .921 save percentage before posting a .934 clip in the playoffs as the Maple Leafs fell in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 1.
Andersen had been Toronto's No. 1 netminder since the team acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks in 2016. He registered the worst statistical season of his career in 2020-21, owning a .895 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against average across 24 games.
The 31-year-old is coming off a five-year, $25-million contract and will likely need to take a pay cut to return to the Maple Leafs. Toronto is projected to have $10 million in cap space this offseason, according to Cap Friendly, but the team only has 16 roster players under contract for 2021-22.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews shed some light Wednesday on the previously undisclosed medical issue that kept him off the ice for the entire 2020-21 NHL season, and he said he's working his way toward a return.
"I just think there's a lot of things that just kind of piled up, where my body just fell apart," Toews said in a video. "So what they're calling it was chronic immune response syndrome, where I just couldn't quite recover and my immune system was reacting to everything that I did."
I wasn’t too vocal about the things I went through this year. I appreciate the understanding and support and wanted to share this message on where I’m at. pic.twitter.com/3qgftKki10
"Any kind of stress, anything that I would do throughout the day, it was always kind of a stress response," he continued. "So, took some time. That was the frustrating part, was not really knowing when or how we were gonna get over the hump. "
Toews was ruled out indefinitely in late December, and at the time said he felt "drained and lethargic." The captain and the Blackhawks kept details under wraps as he attempted to recover.
"I definitely felt bad to a certain degree that people were that worried, they thought it was really serious," Toews said. "But in the back of my mind, I knew I would get through it; it was just a matter of time."
He was fresh off posting 60 points in 70 regular-season games in 2019-20 before authoring a vintage playoff performance in the bubble, averaging a point per game through nine contests as Chicago surprisingly advanced through the qualifying round.
Toews has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks, who drafted him third overall in 2006. While captaining the franchise, Toews has captured three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, and a Selke while registering 815 points in 943 games. The 33-year-old has two seasons remaining on his contract.
As they say, anything can happen in a Game 7, but here are five key subplots as this highly entertaining series reaches its apex.
Nikita Kucherov's status
Rich Graessle / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The Lightning were dealt a major blow early in Game 6 as Kucherov was forced to leave with an injury after only 46 seconds of ice time. The dynamic Tampa Bay winger has been the club's offensive catalyst throughout the postseason, leading all players with a whopping 27 points across 17 games. Given the circumstances, Kucherov could try to play through whatever is ailing him, but his health is the ultimate X-factor for this contest.
On the bright side for Tampa fans, the Lightning won 36 games without Kucherov this season. If he's unable to suit up, what's one more?
Will we see the Coliseum again?
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Islanders faithful nearly blew the roof off Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum after Anthony Beauvillier's electric overtime winner in Game 6. If fans hurling beer cans onto the ice in celebration is the final memory of one of the league's most beloved barns, it's a hell of a way to go out, but it would pale in comparison to the raucousness of a Stanley Cup Final on Long Island.
New York hasn't been to the final since 1984, when its four-year run of glory was snapped by Wayne Gretzky and Co. The Islanders' crowd would be sure to bring the noise - even more than usual - if the home team gets to play for a title in its last season before heading to the brand-new UBS Arena.
Bolts' repeat bid in jeopardy
Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / Getty
The Lightning have authored a dominant postseason story since their run to the Cup began in the bubble last summer. This Game 7 marks the first time Tampa Bay has faced elimination since Game 4 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets in Round 1 of the 2019 playoffs - and that could be an ominous sign, as the defending champs haven't won while facing elimination since the 2015 Eastern Conference Final. Over that span, the Lightning have blown two 3-2 series leads in the third round, most recently in 2018 against the Washington Capitals, an outfit coached by ... Islanders bench boss Barry Trotz.
On a more positive note, however, Tampa Bay is 13-0 following a loss since the start of last year's playoffs.
Barzal's redemption song
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Mathew Barzal's situation seemed grim at best after the Islanders' disastrous 8-0 loss in Game 5. New York's best player potentially faced suspension after cross-checking Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta in the face. Barzal was tossed from the game and slapped with a $5,000 fine, which turned out to be a huge break for the Islanders. He was a force in Game 6, registering two assists while controlling 73.91% of shot attempts, 75% of scoring chances, and 69.81% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
It was a massive statement from Barzal, who drew the public ire of his coach after getting ejected in Game 5. The forward had been quiet in the series until Wednesday night, only recording two points. Will his momentum carry over?
Point's remarkable goal streak
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Brayden Point is smoldering hot right now, with a goal in nine consecutive contests. If he buries one in Game 7, he'll match Reggie Leach's all-time playoff record, and there's plenty of reason to believe he can do it. Since the start of the 2020 postseason, Point's recorded 28 goals in 40 games, and his career 0.58 playoff goals per game ranks sixth in NHL history among all players who appeared in at least 60 contests, according to Sportsnet Stats.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more clutch playoff performer than Point in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken announced Dave Hakstol as their first head coach in franchise history Thursday.
Hakstol had been an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs since 2019, and he previously served as the Philadelphia Flyers' head coach. Before breaking into the NHL in 2015, Hakstol coached the University of North Dakota.
"Tracking back to (his) University of North Dakota days, Dave is a coach who cares about his players," general manager Ron Francis said. "At times, a coach's messages can get diluted. Players want to understand what the coach wants them to do. Dave communicates clearly and concisely. Players like that."
Francis and Hakstol worked together for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
Hakstol had a 134-101-42 record as the Flyers' coach across three-plus seasons. He was mainly in charge of running the Maple Leafs' defense during his time with Toronto.
The 52-year-old will be able to build his own coaching staff with the Kraken.
Seattle will begin its inaugural season during the 2021-22 campaign. The expansion draft is scheduled for July 21.
