Islanders sign Ho-Sang, Dal Colle to new contracts
The New York Islanders have signed forwards Josh Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle to new contracts, the team announced Monday.
Financial terms are currently unknown, but Ho-Sang's new deal is for one year while Dal Colle earned a two-year pact. Both players were restricted free agents, and each has struggled to make a mark with the Islanders since the organization drafted them in the first round in 2014.
Selected 28th overall at the 2014 NHL Draft, Ho-Sang possesses an incredible skill set that's been overshadowed by off-ice issues. As a 19-year-old, Ho-Sang was sent home on the very first day of training for being late, and he's since been berated by staff on numerous occasions for supposed immaturity. He also faced scrutiny in his first NHL stint for wearing Mario Lemieux's No. 66 - which was changed upon the arrival of general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Now 23, Ho-Sang was productive in the AHL last season, registering 43 points in 56 games, but he's only played 53 contests with the Islanders so far in his career.
New York drafted Dal Colle fifth overall in 2014 after he showed a ton of promise in the OHL, but his junior success hasn't materialized in the big leagues yet. The 23-year-old has appeared in only 32 games for the Isles since being drafted, though he is coming off a strong AHL campaign in which he averaged a point per game over 34 contests.
Prior to Monday's signings, the Islanders had a projected $8.6 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. Restricted free-agent forward Anthony Beauvillier is now the only player on the club's ledger without a contract.
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Avs sign former 1st-rounder Nichushkin to 1-year deal
The Colorado Avalanche have signed free-agent forward Valeri Nichushkin to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday.
The deal is worth $850,000, the club confirmed to The Athletic's Ryan Clark.
Nichushkin was originally drafted 10th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2013. He then played in the NHL right away as an 18-year-old, tallying an impressive 14 goals and 20 assists in 79 games. However, injuries held him to just eight appearances the following season, and he struggled to recapture his rookie form in 2015-16, scoring just nine goals.
After two campaigns in the KHL, Nichushkin returned to the Stars in 2018-19 but didn't enjoy much success. In 57 regular-season contests, the Russian failed to score a single goal and was scratched for all but one of Dallas' 13 playoff games.
Despite the lack of offensive production, the 24-year-old winger boasts a tantalizing combination of size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and speed.
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Report: Benning’s extension with Canucks is for 3 years
The Vancouver Canucks have signed general manager Jim Benning to a three-year contract extension, reports Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre.
A report of Benning's extension surfaced on Friday but the length was unknown at the time.
Benning was heading into the final year of his previous deal, so the extension will keep him in Vancouver through the 2022-23 season.
The Canucks made the postseason in Benning's first year at the helm during the 2014-15 campaign, but they've missed the playoffs in the four years since.
Benning is responsible for rebuilding the organization's farm system by drafting the likes of Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes. However, he's drawn criticism from the fanbase for certain signings, such as Loui Eriksson's six-year, $36-million deal in 2016, and Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel's matching four-year, $12-million pacts in 2018.
The GM was busy this summer, as he acquired J.T. Miller via trade and Tyler Myers, Micheal Ferland, and Jordie Benn through free agency.
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