The news comes just months after Hurricanes' president Don Waddell denied Karmanos had interest in selling, potentially to a buyer planning to relocate the franchise.
Karmanos added that he's still interested as well to keeping some of it but more and more open to selling all of it as times goes on
The "NHL 100" list is stirring plenty of debate, but it's also creating an opportunity to let the imagination run wild.
When Wayne Gretzky joked Friday night that he, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr "would have been pretty good at 3-on-3," that got us thinking: Who else among the league's list of its greatest players could form tantalizing trios in the relatively new overtime format if it had existed in their day?
Here are three of the many dream combinations that could be assembled from the NHL's centennial collection of modern superstars and past legends:
Sid, Ovi, and Kane
Let's begin with the current crop, and this triumvirate is as good a place as any to start.
Picture Alex Ovechkin on the left wing, Sidney Crosby down the middle, and Patrick Kane blazing down the right side and you have an unstoppable line that would simply be as unfair as they come.
Crosby and Ovechkin might get the chance to form two-thirds of this hypothetical trio when they suit up together for the Metropolitan Division All-Stars in the 3-on-3 tournament this weekend.
We may never see Kane play with them, but as Meatloaf once sang, two out of three ain't bad.
Bure, Hull, and Sakic
Seriously, how amazing would it have been to watch Pavel Bure in 3-on-3?
Lining him up with two of his legendary 1990s contemporaries would be icing on the cake, and imagine how dominant the "Russian Rocket" could be playing on the left side with Joe Sakic in the middle and Brett Hull on the right wing.
Bure's dynamic scoring ability, Hull's knack for goals of all kinds, and Sakic's mix of playmaking and his patented wrist shot would give goalies nightmares for years.
Gretzky, Bourque, and Gartner
The Great One's dream trio of himself, Lemieux, and Orr would be arguably the best of all time, but there are still plenty of salivating sets of stars to ponder if we stick with our theme of using players from the same era.
How about a 1980s unit featuring Gretzky, Mike Gartner, and Ray Bourque, for example?
The most productive player ever would have a 700-plus-goal scorer on his wing and the most prolific offensive defenseman in NHL history manning the blue line.
It's also tempting to wonder how Gretzky would have fared in 3-on-3 with his former Edmonton Oilers teammates, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey.
Given the sheer number of intriguing possibilities, it's a shame that the new overtime format was only enacted last season. Now we just need to figure out how to build a time machine so we can go back and see how this all would have played out.
Add another name to the list of NHL greats that have high praise for Connor McDavid: Peter Forsberg.
Forsberg, one of the finest examples of size and skill the NHL has ever seen, crafted a remarkable career, recording 885 points in 708 games, winning two Stanley Cups along with the Calder, Art Ross, and Hart Trophy.
With a resume like that, it should come as no surprise that Forsberg was one of the 100 NHLers honored Friday night in Los Angeles.
While rubbing shoulders with the game's best, Forsberg was asked which player in today's NHL reminds him of himself. Enter the Oilers' captain.
"I wish I could say Connor McDavid, but he's better at everything than I was," the 2014 Hall of Fame inductee said, according to Matt Larkin of The Hockey News. "He skates faster. He sees the game. But I really enjoy seeing him play. He's everywhere on the ice, and he's making his team win. If I could start over I'd like to be like him."
McDavid has certainly done his part in earning the kind words, as the 20-year-old has 107 points in 96 career games, already becoming one of the most captivating players the league has to offer.
For the second straight year, the NHL All-Star weekend will feature a 3-on-3 tournament in place of the traditional two-team game.
Last year's tournament was a welcomed and thrilling change of pace to All-Star Games of the past, thanks to a cash incentive to the winners of the tournament which gave players a reason to put forth a greater effort than that seen in your local beer leagues.
Of course with 3-on-3 hockey, fans can expect speed, skill, and chaos above all else. With that in mind, here are some potential trios from each team that could make for must-see TV:
Atlantic
Kucherov, Matthews, Karlsson
This trio would make for one fun, fast, and dynamic line.
Auston Matthews and Nikita Kucherov up front represent the two purest scoring talents in the Atlantic. Enter Erik Karlsson, who along with ridiculous speed hones arguably the most lethal scoring ability of any defenseman in the league.
Metropolitan
Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares
No defense, no problem.
Yes, in a conventional trio, coaches would like to have at least one defenseman on the ice, but hell, this is the All-Star Game and we want to see goals.
Of course, the idea of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin teaming up is always compelling, and with Evgeni Malkin sitting the tournament out (he would have been the third member of this trio), John Tavares slots in as a very capable replacement.
Bring on the goals.
Central
Kane, Laine, Subban
Now this one would be fun.
We have the former Art Ross Trophy winner and stick-handling magician in Patrick Kane, the rookie sniper in Patrik Laine, and the new King of Nashville in P.K. Subban.
Kane can create plays, make defenseman look silly, and would serve as the perfect setup man for either Laine or Subban, who both boast incredible releases.
Pacific
McDavid, Carter, Burns
In this corner, we have the league's leading point-producer, the second-highest goal scorer, and the Norris Trophy frontrunner.
The 2017 edition All Star Game will mark a first for Connor McDavid, and unfortunately, the pressure will likely be on him to mesmerize. Sorry Connor, people can be so demanding.
McDavid can take over any game he is in with his incredible speed. He will also have one of the purest snipers in the game in Jeff Carter at his disposal. Then there's Brent Burns, who is also flirting with the NHL points lead.
Sure, there's no John Scott-type player in this year's game, but with a plethora of talented players on each squad, there shouldn't be any less excitement this year.
It might seem like a no-brainer, but Mario Lemieux appears open to the idea of Jaromir Jagr's No. 68 one day hanging from the rafters in Pittsburgh.
“Oh, absolutely. He’s been a big part of our franchise,” Lemieux said Friday when asked if he could envision Jagr being immortalized in this manner, according to Yahoo Sports' Sean Leahy.
“He’s won two (Stanley Cup championships) in Pittsburgh," the Penguins co-owner added. "He’s a Hall of Famer, by far, and I’m sure he’ll be up there eventually.”
Here's where the ageless forward sits on the club's all-time lists:
Category
Franchise Rank
Total
Goals
2nd
439
Assists
2nd
640
Points
2nd
1079
Game-Winning Goals
1st
78
Shots on Goal
2nd
2911
Games Played
2nd
806
The man ahead of Jagr in most of those categories, of course, is Lemieux himself, one of only two players, along with the late Michel Briere, to have his number retired by the Penguins.
Jagr is obviously still playing for the Florida Panthers, so it's a bit of a moot point until he retires, but Lemieux's status in the Penguins' board room means his comments are relevant, regardless of how non-committal or speculative these may have been.
While the aforementioned players have accomplished a great deal in their respective careers, there's certainly room for a few more active players on the list.
Here's the case for three current NHLers that should have been honored:
Evgeni Malkin
"Geno" should have been a lock.
It's easy to play second fiddle when you share a roster with Crosby, but Malkin has put together a Hall of Fame resume in 11 seasons with the Penguins, as one of the most consistent scorers hockey has ever seen.
Malkin's 1.178 points per game (814 points in 691 contests) ranks 14th all time. Not to mention, he's recorded 129 points in 124 playoff games.
He's a three-time first-team All-Star with two Stanley Cups, while his trophy case includes the Calder, the Conn Smythe, two Art Ross Trophies, the Hart, and the Ted Lindsay Award. A friendly reminder: he's 30-years-old.
Asked Mario Lemieux who would be the 101st greatest NHLer. "Certainly Malkin would be right there." #NHL100
He's not producing like he used to, but Iginla's accomplishments speak themselves.
We'll get it out of the way: he hasn't won a Stanley Cup, we know, but capturing Lord Stanley is more a measurement of team than individual success.
Iginla has tallied 617 goals (16th) and 1,285 points (34th) in his career. He doesn't meet the points-per-game threshold, but only five players have logged 1,500-plus games and done so: Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Jagr, and Steve Yzerman. All on the list.
Iginla had 11 consecutive seasons with 30 or more goals spanning from 2001-12, winning the "Rocket" Richard twice along the way. Add an Art Ross and a Lester B. Pearson Award (now the Ted Lindsay), too. And if international success weighs into the equation, he's won two gold medals. He deserved a spot.
Joe Thornton
Thornton is the best playmaker of his generation, bar none.
By season's end, he'll be only the 13th player in league history to record 1,000 assists.
Thornton sits in 24th place - and counting - in points (1,372) and his 125-point, Hart Trophy-winning season in 2005-06 is the second-highest output by a player in the past 20 years.
Like Iginla, not winning a Stanley Cup probably kept him off the list, but Thornton is a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, and warrants recognition as one of the best set-up men to ever take the ice.
NHL All-Star Skills Competition Where: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, Calif. When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN (U.S.); CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada)
Hollywood, baby.
The NHL's best and brightest are in Los Angeles for the 62nd edition of the All-Star Game, and Saturday night they'll take to the ice for the traditional Skills Competition.
And it matters. The winning team will select its first opponent in Sunday's three-on-three All-Star tournament and whether its semifinal will be played first or second.
Team captains Carey Price (Atlantic Division), Sidney Crosby (Metropolitan), P.K. Subban (Central), and Connor McDavid (Pacific) have selected who will take part in each of the six events, and we break them down, list the participants - and list team rosters - below.
But before we do, a prediction: The Metro will win Saturday's Skills Competition (before it wins Sunday's All-Star three-on-three tournament). Between Crosby - participating in only his second All-Star weekend, somehow - Alex Ovechkin, Cam Atkinson (a more than deserving replacement for Evgeni Malkin), John Tavares, and Sergei Bobrovsky and Braden Holtby in goal, there's way too much talent for it to lose. It's the best division in hockey for a reason.
Skills Challenge Relay
Who doesn't love a good relay?
Seven skaters and a goalie from each team will compete in relays to kick off the competition, comprised of five challenges: one timers, passing, puck control, stick-handling, and goalie goals.
Upon the completion of a challenge, teams move on to the next one, and the squad that finishes first wins. One timers (30 seconds), passing (45 seconds), and goalie goals (30 seconds) have maximum allotted times.
The Central will face the Pacific in one heat, and the Atlantic will face the Metro in the other.
Points Available: 3
The team with the fastest time in each heat will be awarded one point, and a bonus point will be awarded to the team with the fastest time overall.
Participants
Atlantic vs. Metropolitan
One-timers: Erik Karlsson, Vincent Trochek, Kyle Okposo vs. Seth Jones, Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Simmonds (Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh will serve as passers)
Passing: Frans Nielsen vs. John Tavares
Puck Control: Brad Marchand vs. Justin Faulk
Stick Handling: Auston Matthews vs. Sidney Crosby
Goalie Goals: Carey Price vs. Brayden Holtby
Central vs. Pacific
One-timers: Duncan Keith, Ryan Suter, Vladimir Tarasenko vs. Joe Pavelski, Ryan Kesler, and Jeff Carter (Nathan Mackinnon and Bo Horvat will serve as passers)
Passing: Jonathan Toews vs. Drew Doughty
Puck Control: Tyler Seguin vs. Cam Fowler
Stick Handling: Patrick Kane vs. Johnny Gaudreau
Goalie Goals: Devan Dubnyk vs. Mike Smith
Four Line Challenge
This is a new event, and you can consider it Score-O on steroids.
Four players from each team will take part, each shooting twice. Shooter No. 1 will fire from the near blue line, shooter No. 2 from center red, shooter No. 3 from the far blue line, and shooter No. 4 from the far goal line. It's a lot harder than it sounds, though.
The first shooter, at the near blue line, has to put the puck in either the upper right or left corner of the net. Not easy. A goal equals one point.
From center, players will try to hit any of the four corners of the net. The lower corners are worth one point, the upper corners three.
From the far blue line, each corner of the net and the five-hole are available. The lower corners and five-hole are worth a point, the upper corners, five.
From the far goal line, shooters have only the five-hole to work with, and each goal is worth 10 points. Goalies can take part from back here, and should a 'tender score, that goal's worth 20 points.
One more thing: The first player to score twice from the far goal line wins a 2017 Honda CRV.
Points Available: 1 (Team with the most accumulated points in the event gets a point)
Participants
Each division will send one shooter per round; order listed as Atlantic, Metro, Central, Pacific.
Shooter 1: Nikita Kucherov, Ryan McDonagh, Ryan Suter, Joe Pavelski
Shooter 2: Erik Karlsson, Wayne Simmonds, Tyler Seguin, Brent Burns
Shooter 3: Vincent Trocheck, Taylor Hall, P.K. Subban, Ryan Kesler
Shooter 4: SheaWeber, Seth Jones, Nathan MacKinnon, Bo Horvat
Accuracy Shooting
You know how this one works: hit the 15-inch diameter targets in the corners of the net.
Here are the details:
Two shooters and two passers from each team, four head-to-head matchups, one shooter per round
Fastest player to hit all four targets wins
The Atlantic will face the Metro twice, and the Pacific the Central twice
The team that wins each matchup gets a point
The player who hits all four targets in the fastest time earns his team a bonus point
The player who beats Daniel Sedin's 7.3 seconds record earns his team a bonus point
Last year, the Metro's Tavares was the fastest, nailing all four targets in 12.2 seconds
Happy shooting.
Points Available: 6
Participants
Atlantic vs. Metro
Okposo vs. Tavares
Matthews vs. Crosby
Central vs. Pacific
Patrik Laine vs. McDavid
Kane vs. Carter
Fastest Skater
This one's simple: Who can get around the sheet the fastest.
Two skaters from each team, four matchups (Atlantic vs. Metro twice, Central vs. Pacific twice), each matchup worth one point. In the event of a tie, both teams will be awarded a point.
The fastest skater on the day will earn his team a bonus point, and will then attempt to break Dylan Larkin's record of 13.172 seconds, set last year. Should that happen, another bonus point will be awarded to the player's team.
Points Available: 6
Participants
Atlantic vs. Metro
Marchand vs. Cam Atkinson
Kucherov vs. Simmonds
Central vs. Pacific
Tarasenko vs. Horvat
MacKinnon vs. McDavid
Hardest Shot
Congratulations in advance, Shea Weber.
Now representing the Atlantic Division and the Montreal Canadiens, Weber's the dude to beat. He won it last year with a 108.1 mile-per-hour rocket.
Here's the skinny:
Two shooters from each team will go head to head
The puck will be 30 feet from the net
Four matchups again: Atlantic vs. Metro twice, Central vs. Pacific twice
Winner of each matchup earns his team a point
A bonus point will be awarded to the team with the player who wins the competition (so, the Atlantic)
A bonus point will also be awarded if Zdeno Chara's 108.8 mph record falls
Points Available: 6
Participants
Atlantic vs. Metro
Hedman vs. Jones
Weber vs. Ovechkin
Central vs. Pacific
Laine vs. Burns
Subban vs. Doughty
Shootout
The skills competition will end with everyone's favorite skills competition - the shootout.
Here's the deal:
Each conference's highest-scoring team in the competition will take part in this challenge
Nine skaters and two goalies will participate, with a 10th skater as a captain's selection coming from the teams not taking part
The scoreboard resets to zero, each goal counts as a point, and each goal scored by the captain's selection will count as two points
Goalies switch after five shooters
NHL shootout rules apply
In the event of a tie after 10 shooters, it's sudden death, and captains will choose their shooters, with no restrictions on multiple attempts by the same player
