The Anaheim Ducks are indeed parting ways with defenseman Simon Despres.

In a statement posted on Twitter, general manager Bob Murray confirmed an earlier report stating Despres had been placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout.

Murray wrote:

Simon Despres is a good hockey player and a good person. But, at this point, we feel it is the best interests of both Simon and the organization to part ways. We wish him the very best in the future.

Here are the financial implications of making this move at this time:

Despres was drafted 30th overall by Pittsburgh in 2009, and has been sidelined in recent seasons by a series of serious concussions.

Shortly after Murray's statement was released, Despres posted his own:

In 193 career NHL games, he's registered six goals and 37 assists.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cell service in the eastern Mediterranean is in need of an upgrade.

On vacation in Cyprus, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev found out he was being traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Tampa Bay Lightning via a random text message.

"Some fan texted me and said, 'Good luck in Tampa,' and I was like, 'What?'" Sergachev told Bryan Burns on the Lightning's website. "My phone doesn't work here in Cyprus, so (Canadiens general manager) Marc Bergevin couldn't call me."

Sergachev turned to Twitter and saw that he had indeed been traded to Tampa Bay for Jonathan Drouin. The deal appears to have come right out of the same shade of blue that surrounded him in Cyprus.

"My reaction was like, I don't know," Sergachev said. "When I got drafted by the Habs, I was a big fan of them and I played for them. But then I got traded and first reaction was I was kind of frustrated and shocked but after that, it's a new opportunity for me."

Sergachev was drafted ninth overall by the Canadiens in 2016 after a successful first season with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires in which he was named the league's most outstanding defenseman. From his point of view, his two seasons of junior experience - which includes a Memorial Cup win just last month - has prepared him for the next step.

"I feel like I had enough juniors and I played a lot in juniors and I learned a lot in those two years," he said. "I feel like this is my time to play in the NHL, and I'll do my best and I'll play my best to make the Lightning roster."

As a reminder, the Lightning will get Montreal's second-round pick in 2018 in exchange for a sixth-rounder in the same draft should Sergachev play 40 or more games in 2017-18 (including playoffs) for his new NHL club.

That condition could affect his immediate jump to the NHL, but a player of his ilk might be very hard to keep down for long.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers haven't ruled out a return of Steve Mason.

Speaking with reporters Friday, general manager Ron Hextall confirmed the team's goaltending search includes last season's starter.

"Certainly 'Mase' is still an option," said Hextall, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post. "There are other guys out there too."

If not Mason, the Flyers could pursue Ryan Miller, Jonathan Bernier, or Brian Elliott, who are among some of the better pending free agents. There is also the possibility of acquiring a netminder in a trade.

In 58 games last season, Mason posted a 26-21-8 record, alongside a .908 save percentage and 2.66 goals-against average. He has been with the Flyers since 2012.

If the Flyers are interested in bringing back Mason, they should put in a call to his representatives. On Wednesday, Mason's agent stated the two sides have not entered negotiations on a contract extension.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have no hard feelings toward Dion Phaneuf.

After the defenseman denied a request to waive his no-movement clause and free up an expansion draft slot, the Senators are now back to square one in preparing for the Vegas Golden Knights.

But while the move would have made life easier for Senators GM Pierre Dorion - who'd hoped to protect defensemen Erik Karlsson, Marc Methot, and Cody Ceci ahead of Phaneuf - he told reporters Thursday there's no ill will for the veteran blue-liner.

"Dion is a pro. He's been around the league for many years," Dorion said. "My respect for Dion hasn't changed. It's still the same. I still think he's a big part of this team and the fact that he wants to be here tells me a lot about him."

With the Senators likely to opt for the 7-3-1 format - meaning they'll protect seven forwards, three defensemen (which must include Phaneuf), and a goaltender - the team could now consider dealing Methot or Ceci to avoid exposing them.

As for Phaneuf, while he was apparently unwilling to risk getting scooped up by the Golden Knights, he's provided the Senators a list of 12 teams to which he would accept a trade.

The 32-year-old arrived in Ottawa in 2016 following a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in all but one game this past season, notching nine goals and 21 assists.

Phaneuf has four years remaining on his contract, carrying a $7-million annual cap hit.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks are cutting ties with Simon Despres.

The 25-year-old was placed on waivers Friday for the purposes of a buyout, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Depres has four years remaining on his contract, carrying a $3.7-million annual cap hit. Should he clear waivers, Anaheim would proceed with a buyout.

Despres appeared in just one game in 2016-17, missing the remainder of the season with a concussion.

Per CapFriendly, the buyout would count against the salary cap for the next eight seasons, with next year's cap hit coming at the highest charge (about $1.26 million).

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You've heard by now: Jonathan Drouin is a Montreal Canadien.

The electrifying winger was acquired by the Habs - the team Drouin grew up adoring - in a blockbuster deal Thursday afternoon, and based on his skill level, it shouldn't take long for the 22-year-old to become a fan favorite.

Drouin has certainly endured his fair share of criticism through his young career, but there's no denying the kid can flat-out dazzle, and below are five plays from his tenure in Tampa that should have Bleu, Blanc et Rouge supporters salivating.

Extraordinary vision

Give Drouin an inch, and he'll take a mile, as evidenced by this ridiculous cross-seam pass to set up a Lightning goal.

Hard work pays off

It's tough to picture a more impressive shift at the NHL level. Drouin, when motivated, can do it all.

Pin-point precision

Again, he doesn't need a lot of room to make things happen. Drouin's shot might not be the hardest, but he can place it anywhere he chooses, which has proven to be a deadly asset - just ask Peter Budaj.

Just get him the puck

There he goes again, dominating everybody on the ice.

Speed kills

As San Jose learned the hard way last season, trying to contain Drouin with a full head of steam can be a nightmare.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Those following theScore's free-agent rankings should be well aware the summer's most abundant resource is backup goaltending.

Whether it's those looking to move into a starting job for the first time in their career, or others being relegated to backup duty following a failed stint as a workhorse starter, the open market is flush with goalies capable of starting 10-40 games per season.

Teams looking to land a viable starter they can plug in for 60-65 starts per season without having to worry about inconsistencies don't have many proven options to choose from. The Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury will be available via trade, but his $5.75-million cap hit will be tough to swallow for any Cup hopeful looking to add the 32-year-old for the next two seasons.

Here's a look at goalies available either as free agents, expansion candidates for the Vegas Golden Knights, or potential trade targets:

Looking for a shot

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

• Anders Nilsson, Sabres: Nilsson spent just one season with Buffalo, his fourth team during his five-year career. His .934 save percentage at even strength was his best ever in just his third year starting at least 23 games. He's likely not in the starting conversation, but he should have an opportunity to receive a larger portion of a timeshare.

• Darcy Kuemper, Wild: Kuemper and starter Devan Dubnyk were each propped up by the Wild's strong defensive system, though Kuemper struggled to a .902 save percentage in all situations through 18 appearances. He has spent the first five years of his career with the Wild, but with Alex Stalock under contract for two more years as Dubnyk's backup, he's likely headed for a backup role in a new city.

• Antti Raanta, Rangers: The wise move may be for the Rangers to retain the 27-year-old Raanta over Henrik Lundqvist, who is eight years his senior. Raanta, who has one year left on his contract, will be a top target of the Golden Knights, but coming off a season with a .922 save percentage through 30 appearances, the Rangers could find something of value instead of shipping him to a team in need of a young starter.

• Aaron Dell, Sharks: Dell vastly outplayed his $625,000 salary in his first year in the NHL, posting a .931 save percentage in 20 games. Martin Jones is locked in as the Sharks' goalie of the present and future, but Dell finds himself in a similar situation Jones had with the Los Angeles Kings. One more season like Dell just had, and he could land a big-money deal elsewhere. The Sharks would be wise to capitalize on his breakout season.

• Philipp Grubauer, Capitals: Grubauer is widely believed to be the best backup goaltender in the league. He's a free agent, and is the most likely to be promoted to a starting role within another organisation. He made a career-high 19 starts last season, but at just 25 years old, he could be ready to follow in the steps of Jones and Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.

Looking for another shot

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

• Jonathan Bernier, Ducks: Bernier played the final season of a two-year, $8.3-million deal with the Ducks last season as backup to the cheaper John Gibson. He unsurprisingly rebounded with less work on a superior team to the Maple Leafs, for whom he started for three seasons. He's again a strong option for a potential tandem.

• Brian Elliott, Flames: A warning sign for any team looking to hand a starting job to any of those mentioned above, Elliott posted a .910 save percentage over 49 games while playing out the final season of a three-year deal originally signed with the St. Louis Blues.

• Antti Niemi, Stars: With Ben Bishop signed, the Stars need to move one or both of Niemi and Kari Lehtonen. Niemi's slightly more attractive, with just one year remaining on his contract at a lower cap hit. His save percentage dipped below .900 for the first time in his career, but he could have something to offer as a backup to an inexperienced goalie.

• Steve Mason, Flyers: Mason remains without a contract as the Flyers opt to roll with the tandem of Michal Neuvirth and Anthony Stolarz for at least one season. A change of scenery worked the last time, when he moved from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Flyers, and he's still on the young side of 30.

• Ondrej Pavelec, Jets: The Jets are finally free of the five-year, $19.5-million contract they handed Pavelec ahead of the 2012-13 season. His number of starts has declined each of the past three seasons, and he spent most of the 2016-17 season in the AHL. He'll likely be offered more playing time in Europe than he would in North America.

Worth a shot

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

• Pekka Rinne, Predators: Rinne has a modified no-trade clause he'd need to waive in order for the Predators to expose him to the expansion draft. While they're unlikely to ask him to do so, there are obvious benefits to getting rid of the 34-year-old's $7-million cap hit. Juuse Saros is just 22, and posted a .923 save percentage in 21 games last season. A contender could offer the Predators some cap relief and Rinne another shot at the Stanley Cup.

• Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins: The most likely "first goaltender in Vegas Golden Knights history," Fleury has made himself available to all 30 non-Stanley Cup champions. His inconsistencies are well known, but he's just 32 years old and can handle a full workload for at least the next two seasons.

• Joonas Korpisalo, Blue Jackets: At just 23 years of age, Korpisalo is the youngest goalie capable of stepping into a larger role if he gets out of the shadow of Sergei Bobrovsky in Columbus. He has a .915 save percentage through 43 NHL starts and 45 games. The Blue Jackets could sell him in order to avoid losing him for nothing, and he could serve under an older starter with the expectation of taking over in a year or two.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman was dealt an incredibly tough hand when Jonathan Drouin, the club's third overall pick from 2013, demanded a trade.

Yzerman handled it as best as he could, and, in the end, it paid huge dividends for the Lightning. To refresh, here's a brief timeline of the events leading up to Thursday's blockbuster trade:

• 2013-14 season: Drouin plays one more season of junior after being drafted.
• 2014-15 season: Drouin plays 70 games with the Lightning, recording four goals and 32 points.
• January 2, 2016: Drouin is sent down to the AHL after playing 19 games with the Lightning.
• January 3, 2016: Allan Walsh, Drouin's agent, reveals his client made a trade request back in November.
• January 20, 2016: Lightning suspend Drouin for failing to report to AHL game.
• March 8, 2016: Drouin reports to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch for the first time since being suspended.
• April 4, 2016: Drouin is called back up to the big club, and promptly scores two goals in the season's final two games.
• 2016 playoffs: Drouin plays the best hockey of his NHL career, notching 14 points in 17 games.
• 2016-17 season: Drouin has a drama-free breakout year, tallying 21 goals and 53 points in 73 games.

Had Yzerman traded Drouin upon his initial request, it would have resulted in two things:

1) He would have been labeled a weak GM who can be pushed around by players.
2) He would have received diddly squat in return.

Trading Drouin, a proven top-six forward, in exchange for Mikhail Sergachev, an 18-year-old with just four NHL games under his belt, is certainly a risky move. However, Sergachev was a top-10 pick, has great size, strong skating ability, offensive upside, and the potential to be a legitimate No. 1 NHL defenseman.

You can bet Yzerman and his scouts have done their due diligence. Given the Lightning's history of player evaluation and development since he became GM, there's a good chance Sergachev is the real deal.

Drouin, on the other hand, has proven to be a drama queen and a headcase during his brief NHL career. He still has some growing up to do. Even though it seemed like he and the organization had moved past the whole trade request incident on the outside, internally, they clearly hadn't. He didn't want to be a member of the Lightning.

We won't know who wins this trade until 5-10 years from now, but by holding his ground and waiting for Drouin's trade stock to climb back up, Yzerman was able to flip him for a valuable asset. It's a template GMs in any sport can learn from when dealt a difficult hand.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.