Blues sign Scottie Upshall to 1-year deal

The St. Louis Blues signed veteran forward Scottie Upshall to a one-year contract, the team announced Sunday.

The deal is reportedly worth $800,000, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic.

Upshall, 33, spent the last two seasons with the Blues, registering 16 goals and 16 assists in 143 games while being used as a fourth-liner and penalty-kill specialist.

The former sixth overall pick by the Nashville Predators is just four regular-season games away from 700 for his career.

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Report: Devils sign Jimmy Hayes to 1-year, 700K contract

Jimmy Hayes has parlayed his PTO with the New Jersey Devils into a one-way contract, reportedly joining the club on a one-year, $700,000 deal, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Hayes was bought out by the Boston Bruins after a dreadful five-point output in 2016-17, leading him to Devils' training camp on a tryout basis this summer. In five preseason games with New Jersey, the 27-year-old notched one goal and two assists to solidify a spot on the roster.

Over his seven-year career, Hayes has also spent time with Chicago and Florida. In 301 contests, he's recorded 51 goals and 49 assists.

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Stars announcer Dave Strader dies at 62

Dallas Stars television play-by-play announcer Dave Strader died Sunday morning of cholangiocarcinoma, a form of bile duct cancer.

Strader began calling games for the Stars in 2015-16. In 2017, he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award recognizing his outstanding contributions to hockey broadcasting over his career.

Known as "The Voice," Strader's career began in 1979, calling games for the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings. He is likely best known as the No. 2 play-by-play announcer behind Mike "Doc" Emrick for the NHL on NBC.

"Everyone who knew him, and everyone who was able to listen to him call games, is saddened to learn about the passing of Dave Strader," Stars president and CEO Jim Lites said in a press release. "His voice is synonymous with hockey to fans all over the globe and he built a connection for so many fans to this game. More importantly, he was a tremendous husband, father, grandfather and friend and we will miss him deeply. Our sincerest prayers and condolences are directed to his wife Colleen and their entire family."

Strader was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in June 2016.

The hockey world was saddened by the loss.

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Report: Senators, Turris slowly working toward extension

Ottawa Senators forward Kyle Turris and general manager Pierre Dorion are making progress - although it's slow - in talks regarding a contract extension, reports Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun.

The 28-year-old is owed a team-friendly $3.5 million in 2017-18, and will become an unrestricted free agent July 1 if a deal doesn't get reached before then. Discussions have been described as healthy, according to Garrioch, and neither side is forcing the issue.

Agent Kurt Overhardt is reportedly seeking a seven- or eight-year deal worth around $6 million per season for his client.

Turris recorded a career-high 27 goals in 2016-17 and has emerged as the Senators' most complete center. He's averaged over 19 minutes per night over the last three seasons, and has consistently been above 50 percent in the faceoff circle.

The Senators awarded goaltender Craig Anderson a two-year, $9.5-million extension Friday, and Dorion will have to be shrewd to keep Ottawa's core together. Beyond Turris, winger Mark Stone becomes a restricted free agent in 2018, the same time all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson is eligible for a new deal.

According to Cap Friendly, the Senators have a projected $17 million in cap space for the 2018-19 season.

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