Zack Kassian is ready to embrace the future in Edmonton.
The 25-year-old, who signed a one-year contract worth a reported $1.5 million with the Oilers on Thursday, will enter next season knowing he's earned a spot on a roster less than a year after going through the NHL's substance abuse program.
"For them to give me another opportunity to show that I've changed my life around ... I'm beyond happy," Kassian said. "I'm just excited to come in and hit the ground running knowing that this is going to be the year that'll make me or break me."
He's also eager to be part of a long-awaited measure of success in Edmonton.
"As players, we're excited to get an opportunity to show that our team is changing & the culture is changing." @zkassian9 on #Oilers future
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 19, 2016
Kassian recorded three goals and five assists in 36 games for the Oilers last season, and will look to rediscover the kind of game that allowed him to be selected 13th overall in 2009.
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Mark Scheifele and Mark Stone notched three points apiece and Cam Talbot stopped all 24 shots he faced as Canada cruised past Sweden 6-0 in their quarterfinal matchup at the World Championship on Thursday.
Matt Dumba added a goal and an assist as Canada bounced back from a shutout loss to Finland in the final game of the preliminary round.
Canada will meet the United States in the semifinals on Saturday. The U.S. upset the Czech Republic in a shootout in their quarterfinal Thursday.
Russia will take on Finland in the other semifinal. Russia earned a 4-1 win over Germany and Finland thumped Denmark 5-1 in quarterfinal action.
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Zack will be back.
The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Zack Kassian to a one-year contract Thursday.
He played 36 games for the Oilers this season after being acquired in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens for goaltender Ben Scrivens in December.
Kassian was traded to the Canadiens by the Vancouver Canucks for Brandon Prust in July.
The 25-year-old was admitted into the NHL's substance abuse program after being involved in a car accident over the summer. He was reinstated Dec. 15 and immediately waived by Montreal, which facilitated the deal to Edmonton.
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Steven Stamkos was back on the ice with teammates Thursday after a couple days off, but the Tampa Bay Lightning captain couldn't say he was any closer to a return when asked whether he'd play in the postseason.
"I'm hoping to, but there's still a real possibility I may not play at all in the playoffs," Stamkos told reporters following practice.
Head coach Jon Cooper said Stamkos is still in a "holding pattern" as he remains on blood thinners following vascular surgery to treat a blood clot in April.
Though the 26-year-old wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of playing in Game 4, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times notes Stamkos is "sounding more like he's realizing he may not play."
When asked how soon a decision on whether he'll play will come, Stamkos deferred, citing a lack of information on his condition.
"The thing with this situation, there's no data out there to support whether coming back earlier than the initial prognosis is safe or not, if there's elevated risks or not," he said. "I mean, it's such a unique situation and obviously not a common thing, that there's really no clinical studies to suggest.
"So there's risk management. You have to just, like I said, do your best to gather as many opinions, gather as much information as possible so you're well educated on the risks if you do come back, realizing that it's not worth the risk. So we haven't reached that stage yet."
Stamkos hasn't played since March 31.
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Ben Bishop's injury will likely keep him from starting Game 4 for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The goaltender is "in that doubtful range" for Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters Thursday.
Cooper added that Bishop hasn't been ruled out for the contest entirely.
The netminder practiced Thursday, but didn't occupy a net of his own and wasn't a full participant.
Bishop spending about half the practice participating in drills, the other half off to the side watching. #TBLightning
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) May 19, 2016
Bishop said he's still not feeling 100 percent healthy after being stretchered off with a leg injury in Game 1.
The Penguins lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 2-1.
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John Scott arrived on Twitter with a tease.
What a year. Thanks for everything, fans! Keep an eye on my Twitter account ... There's much more to come. pic.twitter.com/eQ3bpUYs7V
— John Scott (@johnscott_32) May 19, 2016
The All-Star MVP is already verified after joining the social media platform Thursday.
As for Scott's plans with the account, our guess is he'll be promoting the upcoming movie about his wild journey from controversial trade castoff to All-Star hero.
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Auston Matthews continues to show why he's the near-consensus No. 1 pick for June's NHL draft with an incredible performance Thursday in the quarterfinals at the World Championship.
Facing the Group A-winning Czech Republic team, the 18-year-old tied the game at one with a beautiful second-period goal, and he came up huge again in the shootout - beating goalie Dominik Furch five-hole to help the United States pick up the victory
Keith Kinkaid stopped Tomas Zohorna to clinch the win for the Americans after making 25 saves during the game. Zohorna scored the only Czech goal in regulation, ironically, on a penalty shot in the first period.
Matthews, who now leads his team with eight points in eight games, awaits the winner between Canada and Sweden for Saturday's semifinal match.
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A pair of Detroit Red Wings veterans will be unrestricted free agents this summer.
Brad Richards and Kyle Quincey will not be re-signed before the start of free agency, general manager Ken Holland told reporters Thursday, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
Holland said he's informed the forward and the defenseman that he "definitely won't sign them before July 1, if at all."
Richards collected 10 goals and 28 points in his first season with Detroit.
The 36-year-old played for three different teams over the last three campaigns, winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 after claiming his first championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
Quincey was limited to 47 games due to injury in 2015-16. He posted 11 points while carrying a cap hit of $4.25 million.
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