Tag Archives: Hockey
Report: Oilers have shown interest in Mrazek
The Edmonton Oilers have at least one goalie on their radar as they enter the offseason.
Edmonton has shown an interest in Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported during Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."
LeBrun added that acquiring Mrazek would be more of a "Plan B" for the Oilers.
The 28-year-old goaltender has one season remaining on his contract that carries a value of $3.125 million. Oilers general manager Ken Holland drafted Mrazek in 2010 while with the Detroit Red Wings.
Mrazek appeared in 40 games during the 2019-20 regular season, putting together a 21-16-2 record with a .905 save percentage and 2.69 goals-against average.
The Oilers have goaltender Mikko Koskinen signed for two more seasons with an average annual value of $4.5 million. Mike Smith, who appeared in 39 games for the team last season, is an unrestricted free agent.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Rangers expected to buy out Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist's time with the New York Rangers is set to come to an end after 15 years.
The Rangers are expected to buy out the final year of Lundqvist's contract, TSN's Darren Dreger reported during Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."
"Unfortunately for Henrik Lundqvist, there will be a separation from the New York Rangers by form of that buyout," Dreger said.
"This would not come easy to the New York Rangers, again, given everything that Lundqvist has provided to the Rangers as an organization. This was a tough decision but a decision that has to be made moving forward," Dreger added.
Lundqvist has one season remaining on his current contract that carries a cap hit of $8.5 million for the 2020-21 season.
The 38-year-old has spent his entire career with the Rangers since being selected by the team in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft. His 887 games played, 459 wins, and 64 shutouts are all franchise records.
Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton said in August that the team's plan is to carry only two goalies on its NHL roster next season. During the 2019-20 season, Lundqvist split starts with teammates Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin.
Since Lundqvist's rookie season in 2005-06, the Rangers have made the playoffs 11 times. He helped guide the team to the Stanley Cup Final once in 2014 and the conference finals on two occasions.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Watch: Lightning return to Tampa with Stanley Cup
The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home with the Stanley Cup.
The Lightning exited the NHL bubble Tuesday after spending over two months in Toronto and Edmonton. Friends and family met them on the tarmac after they landed back in Tampa:
Heddy and Stammer bringing home the hardware. #Bolts pic.twitter.com/2qFDRkstU5
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) September 29, 2020
Players reunited with their families, including Conn Smythe winner Victor Hedman and his wife, Sanna:
The Conn Smythe winner Victor Hedman embracing his wife Sanna. #Bolts spent 65 days away from their families in the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles. #Bolts pic.twitter.com/Tr5344hP3E
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) September 29, 2020
Some hoisted the Cup once more, including Zach Bogosian, who made his first playoff appearance in his 13th NHL season:
Lift the Cup, shoot “Woooooo!” and kiss the Cup: Zach Bogosian enjoys a Stanley Cup tradition as Lightning land in Tampa. pic.twitter.com/UkAHjggCq2
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 29, 2020
Nikita Kucherov, who led the team with 34 postseason points, showed off the hardware:
Nikita Kucherov hoists the Stanley Cup as the Lightning come home to Tampa as champions. pic.twitter.com/0mPzsbnnvO
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 29, 2020
After the reunion, the Lightning and their loved ones boarded trolleys and made their way to Amalie Arena as fans looked on:
We’re headed for Amalie Arena. #Bolts pic.twitter.com/HrampPArJr
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) September 29, 2020
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL Offseason Lookahead – Vancouver Canucks
Senators will listen to offers for No. 5 pick
The Ottawa Senators aren't opposed to trading the fifth overall selection in the upcoming draft if the right deal comes along.
Trent Mann, the club's chief amateur scout, confirmed general manager Pierre Dorion is open to receiving proposals involving the pick.
"It’s going to depend (on) what happens ahead of us," Mann said Tuesday, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "We have to be ready for a number of different things, including a scenario where somebody wants to move up and take No. 5 as well. If that's the case, what does that give us in the end?"
"That's a possible scenario the amateur staff has to prepare for because this year we're in the enviable place (of) picking No. 3 and No. 5," Mann continued. "Equally, based on the nature of the importance of the draft for the organization, you have to listen and prepare for any scenario that may happen because teams will call. Pierre has already indicated he's willing to listen."
Ottawa boasts the 28th selection in addition to its pair of top-five picks. The team also has four second-round choices, and 13 total selections over all seven rounds.
The NHL released the full 2020 draft order earlier Tuesday.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL reveals full 2020 draft order
The complete order of selections in the upcoming NHL draft is now set.
Here's how the first two rounds will go:
Round 1
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | New York Rangers |
| 2 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 3 | Ottawa Senators (from San Jose Sharks) |
| 4 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 5 | Senators |
| 6 | Anaheim Ducks |
| 7 | New Jersey Devils |
| 8 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 9 | Minnesota Wild |
| 10 | Winnipeg Jets |
| 11 | Nashville Predators |
| 12 | Florida Panthers |
| 13 | Carolina Hurricanes (from Toronto Maple Leafs) |
| 14 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 15 | Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 16 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 17 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 18 | Devils (from Arizona Coyotes) |
| 19 | Calgary Flames |
| 20 | Devils (from Vancouver Canucks via Tampa Bay Lightning) |
| 21 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 22 | Rangers (from Hurricanes) |
| 23 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 24 | Washington Capitals |
| 25 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 26 | St. Louis Blues |
| 27 | Ducks (from Boston Bruins) |
| 28 | Senators (from New York Islanders) |
| 29 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 30 | Dallas Stars |
| 31 | Sharks (from Lightning) |
Round 2
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 32 | Red Wings |
| 33 | Senators |
| 34 | Sharks |
| 35 | Kings |
| 36 | Ducks |
| 37 | Predators (from Devils) |
| 38 | Sabres |
| 39 | Wild |
| 40 | Jets |
| 41 | Hurricanes (from Rangers) |
| 42 | Predators |
| 43 | Panthers |
| 44 | Maple Leafs |
| 45 | Red Wings (from Oilers) |
| 46 | Blackhawks (from Penguins via Golden Knights) |
| 47 | Canadiens |
| 48 | Canadiens (from Blackhawks) |
| 49 | No selection |
| 50 | Flames |
| 51 | Kings (from Canucks) |
| 52 | Senators (from Blue Jackets) |
| 53 | Hurricanes |
| 54 | Flyers |
| 55 | Red Wings (from Capitals) |
| 56 | Sharks (from Avalanche via Capitals) |
| 57 | Canadiens (from Blues) |
| 58 | Bruins |
| 59 | Senators (from Islanders) |
| 60 | Kings (from Golden Knights) |
| 61 | Senators (from Stars via Golden Knights) |
| 62 | Lightning |
The draft lottery determined the first 15 picks. Selections 16-27 belong to teams that lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs, in inverse order of the clubs' regular-season points percentage.
The No. 28 and 29 picks have been given to the teams that were knocked out in the conference finals (though the New York Islanders' selection belongs to the Ottawa Senators), again in inverse order of the points percentage during the regular season. The 30th and 31st overall selections will go to the Stanley Cup Final loser and winner, respectively.
Unlike previous years, the NHL didn't take division winners into account. As a result, the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche were flipped at No. 24 and 25.
In rounds two through seven, selections one to seven go to teams that didn't qualify for the 24-team return-to-play format, and Nos. 8 through 15 belong to clubs that were bounced out of the qualifying round. All 15 of those picks over the final six rounds are slotted in inverse order based on regular-season points percentage.
The Arizona Coyotes forfeited the 49th overall pick and their 2021 first-rounder after violating the NHL's combine testing policy during the 2019-20 campaign.
View the order for all seven rounds here. The draft will be conducted over video conferencing on Oct. 6 and 7.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Seguin: Bubble life ‘hardest time of our lives as professional athletes’
Aside from bonding with his teammates, Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin admitted bubble life in Edmonton for the duration of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a grind unlike he's ever experienced.
"(It was) the biggest grind and the hardest time of our lives as professional athletes, and also the most fun," Seguin told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "We had so much fun - that's kind of why it's so disappointing - on this run. It's fun being on this stage. A lot of guys in this league or this business don't have that opportunity to feel this pressure, and we had a lot of fun with it, so it was great.
"But other than that, there's nothing positive you're going to take from the bubble life. It definitely (stunk) and I think we're all looking forward to seeing family and friends now."
Players reported to their respective bubbles Aug. 26, and the Stars' run ended Monday night - over two full months later - as they lost the Stanley Cup Final in Game 6 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Seguin finished the postseason with 13 points in 26 games. It was the third time in franchise history the Stars had reached the finals.
Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.