Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore revealed Thursday in an article on The Players' Tribune that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the offseason.

In an entry titled "To My Golden Knights Family," the 24-year-old revealed he had surgery to remove the affected area and has made a full recovery. He will, however, continue to be monitored closely.

Theodore's cancer was discovered when he took a drug test while playing for Canada at the World Championship in May.

Before the quarterfinal game, the British Columbia native was informed that he failed his test due to the discovery of a hormone called hCG, which is typically found in pregnant women. Doctors told him, though, that it can also be a sign of testicular cancer.

Theodore returned home following the tournament to see his doctor and officially received the diagnosis.

After sharing the news privately, Theodore received support from family and friends, including fellow NHLer Phil Kessel, who faced his own battle with testicular cancer in 2006.

Theodore is entering his fifth NHL season and third with the Golden Knights. He didn't reveal whether he will have to miss any time but is currently included on Vegas' training camp roster.

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The Winnipeg Jets have inked defenseman Josh Morrissey to an eight-year, $50-million contract extension, the team announced Thursday.

Morrissey is entering the final year of his current deal and was set to become a restricted free agent after this season.

More to come.

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The NHL is one of the most unpredictable leagues in professional sports, as the playoff landscape is ever-changing. Such volatility also makes it difficult on sportsbooks to adjust lines year-to-year, and it would be rude of us not to take advantage.

So, who's going to be in the playoffs this season? With a revolving door of contenders every year, it's a great market to find value. Here are some spots to exploit ahead of the 2019-20 season:

Winnipeg Jets: No playoffs (+150)

The Jets were outplayed significantly during the second half, as they closed out the regular season with a 13-14-2 record and made a premature first-round playoff exit. Their underlying numbers support that record, too. Connor Hellebuyck took a step back and resembled the goalie he was in 2017 more than he did the Vezina nominee we saw in 2018. Now, In three years as a starter, he's been average twice. Which season sounds like the outlier here?

Injuries exposed Winnipeg's lack of depth on defense, and that's going to be a major area of concern for the club after losing Jacob Trouba and Tyler Myers. Bryan Little wasn't nearly as effective, suggesting he may no longer be suited as a second-line center, which leaves the Jets thin down the middle after Mark Scheifele. Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine remain unsigned, and the Jets will be right up at the cap when - or if - they agree to a deal, leaving the team little room to add pieces during the campaign. In the toughest division in hockey, Winnipeg is a lot closer to being a 90-point team than a 100-point one.

Carolina Hurricanes: Yes playoffs (-160)

Unlike Winnipeg, the Hurricanes were one of the NHL's best teams over the second half. They already boasted one of the deepest defensive units in the league before signing Jake Gardiner. With that addition, they have an embarrassment of riches on the back end, which should help goalie Petr Mrazek build off what was his best season since 2016. Carolina has an elite group of young forwards and should be a lock to make the playoffs this year. If sophomore Andrei Svechnikov takes the leap toward becoming the elite scorer he was expected to be when he was drafted, this team could be looking at a division title.

Calgary Flames: No playoffs (+180)

Every year we see a team go from the top of the division to close to the bottom the following season. Anaheim did it last year. Montreal, Chicago, and Edmonton the year prior. The season before that, Dallas and Florida. And the Flames look like the next team to be added to that list.

They need to clear out cap space before they can sign Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane, which could result in T.J. Brodie being traded. Can they really absorb such a blow on the back end? How will David Rittich handle a bigger workload with Mike Smith gone? Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, and Mark Giordano all set career highs in points last year, surpassing their previous best totals by a wide margin. Can they really sustain that sort of production? Is this the team that won its division with 107 points, or the one that was bounced in five games in the playoffs without so much as a whimper? It feels safer betting on the latter.

New York Rangers: No playoffs (-150)

There's no doubt that the Rangers were offseason winners, but that's hardly a harbinger for immediate success. Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, and Kaapo Kakko should have fans excited in the Big Apple, but let's all settle down on anointing the Rangers as a playoff team. They were awful after trading Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes, posting a 5-10-5 record without them. The production gained from the recently acquired players will have to be otherworldly to mitigate those losses. They missed the playoffs by 20 points last year, and that was with more than half a season from the aforementioned duo.

This team is also very weak down the middle. Mika Zibanejad is excellent, but behind him are Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, and Brett Howden. Howden is the oldest of that group at 21. New York might have the weakest crop of centers in the NHL. It's a young team that, despite the hype, is looking at a developmental season, not a return to the playoffs in a tough Eastern Conference.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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The New York Rangers agreed to a new one-year contract with restricted free agent forward Brendan Lemieux, the club announced Wednesday.

Lemieux, the son of former NHLer Claude Lemieux, produced three goals and three assists in 19 games with the Rangers last season, after notching nine markers and 11 points in 44 contests with the Winnipeg Jets in 2018-19.

The 23-year-old winger was part of the package sent to New York in exchange for Kevin Hayes in a late February deal before the deadline.

Lemieux spent parts of two seasons with the Jets after being dealt by the Sabres, who drafted him 31st overall in 2014. He did not play a game for Buffalo.

Tony DeAngelo is now the Rangers' lone unsigned RFA.

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The Edmonton Oilers are going to play it safe with their superstar captain.

Oilers general manager Ken Holland told reporters Wednesday that he doesn't believe Connor McDavid will see much, if any, game action this preseason as the forward continues to work his way back from a leg injury suffered in the team's 2018-19 season finale.

"I think if he was healthy, probably ... two or three, but obviously it's a unique situation, so either one at most or very likely zero," Holland said. We've got three weeks to go and ... we're going to be conservative, (I'd) rather be safe than sorry. If he's not ready for opening night, he's not ready for opening night."

McDavid has been skating with his teammates in the lead-up to the exhibition schedule.

"He's scrimmaging and he's doing things three-on-three down low, so I think he's in a great spot, but we might as well be conservative and safe," Holland added.

McDavid said after Saturday's session that he felt good but cautioned that it's up to the team's medical staff to determine whether he'll be cleared to play in the season opener Oct. 2 against the Vancouver Canucks.

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The Minnesota Wild re-signed restricted free-agent forward Kevin Fiala to a two-year, $6-million contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Fiala was acquired in a deadline deal with the Nashville Predators in exchange for Mikael Granlund. The trade was made by ex-Wild general manager Paul Fenton, who had previously been the assistant GM in Nashville.

In 83 games split between the two clubs, Fiala registered 12 goals and 39 points in 2018-19. This marked a bit of a down year compared to his 23-goal, 48-point output in 2017-18.

The 23-year-old will compete for top-six minutes in his first full campaign with the Wild.

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Divisions:
Metropolitan | Central
Pacific | Atlantic (Sept. 12)

While there wasn't a ton of impact player movement out west this summer, one team in the desert made a big addition that should help it become even more competitive, while a certain general manager in Northern California worked his magic once again.

Here's how the eight Pacific Division clubs fared in their respective offseasons:

Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted. Total contract value does not include bonuses.

Anaheim Ducks

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Ducks could be on the verge of acquiring Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes, but the deal would reportedly be contingent upon the blue-liner signing an extension with Anaheim. It would also require him to waive his no-trade clause, as the Ducks are one of the teams on his no-trade list, so it's far from a certainty that this swap gets done.

More importantly, even if Faulk is amenable to the move, his acquisition alone won't single-handedly solve Anaheim's problems.

The fact remains that until and unless the rearguard gives his approval, Anaheim has to this point failed to make any significant offseason additions this summer. Its most buzz-worthy transaction - at least for the time being - was the buyout of Perry, the longtime franchise fixture and 2011 Hart Trophy winner.

Putting their one possible defensive upgrade aside, the Ducks should have done more with their cap space to bail out stellar goaltender John Gibson by improving what was the league's worst offense in 2018-19.

Grade: D

Arizona Coyotes

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Coyotes were the clear winners of the Kessel-Galchenyuk trade, and the deal signals that they're going all-in after coming up just short of a playoff berth in 2018-19. Kessel, a game-breaking goal-scorer and elite playmaker, is exactly what Arizona needed, and general manager John Chayka further cushioned his forward group when he added Soderberg.

Locking up franchise cornerstone Keller long term was another win for a franchise perpetually in search of stability. Yes, the 2016 seventh overall pick took a step backward from a production standpoint last season, but he's only 21 years old. If he can return to the 65-point form he displayed in his rookie campaign and build on that in the coming years, his next contract will be more than justified.

Beyond taking some mild, perhaps unfair criticism for the Keller deal, It's been a very good summer for Chayka. If starting goaltender Antti Raanta can stay healthy this season, the Coyotes should make an even stronger postseason push, thanks in no small part to the GM's moves.

Grade: B+

Calgary Flames

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

*Tore ACL in August, no timetable for return

Calgary came out as the loser of the Lucic-Neal trade, and that was really the only headline-grabbing move general manager Brad Treliving made this offseason.

He did cross a couple of items off his summer to-do list by getting Rittich and Bennett back under contract, but Tkachuk is among the slew of NHL restricted free agents who remain without new deals, and the Flames can ill afford to begin the campaign without the 21-year-old forward who broke out with 34 goals and 77 points in 2018-19.

Allowing Smith to walk and replacing him with Talbot will give Rittich another chance to secure Calgary's No. 1 goaltending job, but overall, it's hard to say Calgary is in a much better position than it was at the end of 2018-19.

Grade: C

Edmonton Oilers

Key arrivals

Key departures

*Contract includes opt-out clause, allowing him to cut ties before Dec. 1

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Aside from winning the Neal-Lucic trade, did the Oilers do anything to surround Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with a playoff-caliber group?

Beyond the Puljujarvi saga, it was fairly quiet summer in Edmonton, this time with new GM Ken Holland at the helm. That isn't always a bad thing, and he didn't have a lot of cap space to work with, but the Oilers' two stars need a better supporting cast if they hope to return to the postseason.

The Puljujarvi mess consumed the headlines in Edmonton for most of the offseason, and while it may be far from over, the Oilers haven't yet been able to turn any value he may have into an asset that can help them either now or in the future.

After a tumultuous 2018-19 season, the club needed to make an impact move or two. While the new GM is likely waiting until contracts come off the books in 2020 to make more significant changes, this roster requires more speed and skill to complement its dynamic duo, and it needs it now.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Kings

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Unlike the summer of 2018 when the Kings jumped into the UFA pool with the blockbuster but regrettable Ilya Kovalchuk signing, they took a much different approach to this offseason.

Now firmly in rebuild mode, general manager Rob Blake instead locked up a slew of his secondary talent at team-friendly prices rather than opting for a big-ticket signing. Blake appears to have learned his lesson from a year ago, and in securing his depth pieces at affordable rates, he's set the Kings up better for the future.

Buying out Phaneuf was necessary, and it will only really burden Los Angeles' cap flexibility in 2020-21 when the club still likely won't be ready to truly compete.

That being said, just because you don't sign a Kovalchuk-priced UFA in 2019 doesn't mean you should all but avoid the UFA market entirely, and Los Angeles' refusal to dip further into the free-agent pool was a bit surprising for a team trying to turn things around.

Grade: C

San Jose Sharks

Key arrivals

N/A

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Doug Wilson is a sorcerer.

Not so much for the Karlsson contract, which was basically inevitable once the Sharks GM and the superstar defenseman decided they were committed to each other long term. Karlsson's injury history is a bit concerning, but when he's healthy, the all-world rearguard is clearly worth every penny.

Where Wilson deserves the most credit is for two of the other contracts he negotiated, both of which - remarkably - came after the hefty Karlsson pact. Somehow, someway, he got Labanc to agree to a one-year, $1-million deal coming off a 56-point campaign, and the Meier money could turn out to be a steal if the 30-goal scorer continues to blossom.

Throw in the PR win of the team-friendly Thornton contract, and to say Wilson and the Sharks had a successful offseason would be an understatement.

Grade: A

Vancouver Canucks

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Despite the term handed out in some of these moves, credit Canucks GM Jim Benning (yes, you read that correctly) for adding to his emerging core both in free agency and via the trade route this summer. Vancouver has a deeper roster and is better positioned to challenge for a postseason berth as a result.

The Myers contract isn't ideal when viewed in a vacuum, but UFAs are often overpaid and he's proven to be a fairly effective blue-liner over the years.

Hughes will certainly be in the Canucks' lineup, and the left-shooting uber-prospect should be a regular member of Vancouver's top-four on the back end, especially with Hutton out of the picture.

One major hurdle remains in Benning's offseason, and that, of course, is coming to terms with Boeser. That impasse is obviously significant, but it shouldn't take away from an otherwise active and encouraging summer for the Canucks.

Grade: B-

Vegas Golden Knights

Key arrivals

N/A

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Karlsson contract was a reasonable one, assuming he continues to be a very solid two-way center. While the 26-year-old Swede experienced a predictable offensive regression in 2018-19, he once again proved he can be more than effective on both ends.

He also continued a remarkable run of durability by playing all 82 regular-season games, and he's missed only two contests over the last four regular seasons. So while the term of his new contract is a bit long, it's hard to argue that he isn't worth the $5.9-million cap hit.

However, the Golden Knights also dealt away a couple of key pieces this summer without getting a roster player in return. That was due to the club's salary cap constraints, but they may live to regret trading away a potential NHL star in Gusev and a solid blue-liner in Miller for a combined haul of two second-round picks, a third-rounder, and a fifth.

Grade: C+

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