Andrew Ference's time in the NHL may be over.

The 37-year-old was limited to just six games last season and hasn't seen game action since Nov. 27. He suffered micro-fractures in his right hip and while he can swim and bike, he understands where his condition leaves him.

"What is the terminology? I have a career-ending injury," Ference said, according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Sun. "That's the way I'm looking at it."

While the news appears to be devastating, Ference admits he has come to grips with his situation and has no regrets.

"I got 16 years. I don't feel I missed out," said Ference. "The people close to me walk on egg-shells until I tell them it's OK. I told my wife it's like graduating from high school. You go to high school, have a blast, have all these great parties but by the time you get to the end of high school, you say, 'All right, I'm ready for the next step.' You have fond memories. If I hadn't won a Stanley Cup (2011 in Boston), that would be tough to swallow now."

The Edmonton Oilers defenseman says he can't even jog, which highlights his current condition. Going forward he expects team doctors will give him the news that it's over.

"I'm trying to introduce more weight-bearing with the gym to work on my (range of) motion but I'm not even jogging ... that obviously comes before skating," said Ference.

Ference was the last Oiler to don the "C," before having the title removed last season. Going forward he feels it's a no-brainer that Connor McDavid will be his successor.

"Absolutely," said Ference. "No doubt about it.

"He's so mature and who he is is who he is. He's not faking it.

"I don't care how old a guy is, if you have those qualities, you're ready, 100 per cent."

If Ference does indeed call it a career, he will finish with 43 goals and 225 points in 907 games, not to mention a Stanley Cup which he captured as a member of the Boston Bruins in 2011.

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Alex Ovechkin is planning to be in Pyeongchang, South Korea in February 2018.

The Washington Capitals and Russian superstar wants to play in the Olympics:

On Wednesday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said talks between the NHL, NHLPA, IOC, and IIHF about NHL players' participation at the 2018 games are "radio silent."

The NHL and NHLPA have their hands full right now with the World Cup of Hockey, and it's clear the league and players are bent on making the event a success. The next installment will take place in 2020, further clouding the NHL's future at the Olympics.

Regardless, Ovechkin's going.

"He loves playing in the Olympics," LeBrun added.

Ovechkin had a goal and an assist in five games at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Russia was bounced in the quarterfinals, in what was a disappointing showing at home.

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Four months after helping his country repeat as world champions, Matt Duchene is back representing Canada in international competition. We caught up with the talented Colorado Avalanche forward at media day for the World Cup of Hockey.

theScore: You live and train in cottage country over the summer. We've all seen footage of you shooting pucks with the bug hat. Have you made additions to your on-site training methods at the Duchene residence?

Duchene: Yeah, that video's old. It was at my parent's house. I've since built a cottage and I have a similar shooting range up there as well, and my gym right there. I've got a great setup, and everything I need to get better throughout the summer.

theScore: Your fiancee is American. Have you sold her on the merits of cottage-country living in Canada?

Duchene: Oh, she loves it, yeah. It was hard to get her out of Haliburton this summer. As much as I was excited for this, we had such an amazing summer, and when it came to an end - it's always tough to turn the switch. But once you flip it back on toward hockey, you don't even think about it. Maybe after this tournament I will get a day or two to go back up and enjoy it for a little bit. It was a great summer, though, and we got out of it what we needed to.

theScore: There's widespread debate in Canada over why this player is selected, why this player isn't. You've become somewhat of a mainstay for Hockey Canada. What do they covet in you?

Duchene: I'm not sure. I try to bring speed and skill. I try to do everything at a fast pace. I think I have shown that I can play a 200-foot game and be trusted at the last Olympics and the (World Championship). This past year I played in all situations. That's very important. (Hockey Canada) doesn't take guys that play one way or aren't detail-oriented. It's what I've tried to focus on, combining that and my God-given ability.

theScore: You met a goal of reaching the 30-goal plateau last season. Have you set a new benchmark for yourself?

Duchene: I've learned that it's dangerous to set number-oriented goals. I would love to produce another 30-goal year. I think I am very capable of that. But I don't want to set goals like that. At the end of the day, the biggest thing is doing whatever I can to help my team win and get back into the playoffs. That's the most important thing.

theScore: There's a new boss in Colorado. Have you spoken to Jared Bednar, and if so, what was your first impression?

Duchene: We talked for about a half hour before I came up here. We had a really good talk. He's a really nice guy, and I think he's going to be great for a our team.

(Note: Interview was condensed and edited for clarity.)

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen isn't losing sleep over his current contract situation.

The 21-year-old - who is currently manning Finland's blue line at the World Cup - is coming off his entry-level deal with the Sabres, but remains without a new contract as the new season approaches.

"It doesn't bother me at all. I don't worry about it," Ristolainen said, according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. "I'm 100 percent here for Team Finland. Then let's see what happens with Buffalo after the tournament. I've never been in this situation before so I really don't know how long it takes or how the contract things work."

While Ristolainen remains confident that a deal will be made before the season starts, he admits he's not pleased that things have dragged out so long.

"It doesn't bother me, but on the other hand I'm not happy it's this long too," said Ristolainen. "I still trust that we will make that contract happen. I like Buffalo. I want to be there as long as I can and I feel they feel the same way about me. I trust it's going to be taken care of."

The 2013 first-round pick is coming off a career year that saw him pace all Sabres defensemen with nine goals and 41 points in 82 games.

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Daniel Alfredsson is set to become a man with two countries.

The Sweden native, and former Ottawa Senators captain, will officially become a Canadian citizen during a special ceremony at the Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village in Toronto as part of the World Cup, along with 102 other new citizens, the Senators announced.

Alfredsson played 17 seasons with the Senators and currently serves as a senior advisor of hockey operations with the club.

Last month, the Senators announced that the team would raise Alfredsson's No. 11 to the rafters ahead of a game against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 29.

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theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.

The Chicago Blackhawks have preserved the core that delivered three Stanley Cup wins in seven years. The challenge once again is fitting it under the salary cap by filling out the roster with cheap, young, and effective depth.

Here's what the Blackhawks' lineup looks like going into the 2016-17 season:

Forwards

• There's no sense tinkering with last year's top line, and it remains intact here with the trio of Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov, and Patrick Kane. Though the left wing needs more depth, the right side has some interesting options, namely veteran Marian Hossa, who is due for a bounce-back year, and rookie winger Ryan Hartman.

Defense

• It starts with the top pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, one of the league's best. Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson, despite both being left-handed shots, round out the top four, as they're a cut above the rest. The bottom pairing could see rotations including Ville Pokka and Erik Gustafsson.

Goalies

• There's no doubting Corey Crawford as the starter, though second-stringer Scott Darling has proven he can fill in well in a pinch, winning 12 games last season.

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P.K. Subban is a big Dallas Cowboys fan, but now that he plays for the Nashville Predators, his allegiances may have shifted a bit.

The defenseman, who was traded to the Predators by the Montreal Canadiens earlier this offseason, stopped by Tennessee Titans practice on Wednesday and spent some time hanging out with former Cowboy DeMarco Murray.

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theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.

The Chicago Blackhawks have captured three Stanley Cups since 2010, and much of that winning core remains intact. We've outlined three questions facing the Blackhawks as they pursue another championship in 2016-17.

Can Panarin repeat last year's dominant performance?

Artemi Panarin entered the NHL last season as a widely unknown quantity, only to ride shotgun to Patrick Kane en route to winning Rookie of the Year honors.

Panarin finished the year with 77 points, second to only Kane in team scoring. This year, he'll be a marked man, making an encore performance more difficult.

Unlike most rookies, who are often teenagers, Panarin began his NHL career at age 24, with several years of KHL experience easing his transition to the NHL ranks. With that in mind, is it possible he's already reached his ceiling?

Panarin will look to prove he's still got room to grow as he tries to fill the scoring gap left by the offseason departures of Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen, as well as deadline acquisition Andrew Ladd, who tallied 12 points in 19 games with the Blackhawks last season.

Where's the secondary scoring?

We know about Panarin, Kane, and captain Jonathan Toews, but aside from those three, does this team have enough firepower?

Two of the next four highest-scoring forwards (Teravainen and Shaw) are no longer with the team. Next up is center Artem Anisimov, who finished sixth in team scoring with 42 points, and then veteran winger Marian Hossa, who had his worst showing since his rookie campaign, finishing with just 33 points.

The Blackhawks have a number of up-and-coming forwards who can provide offensive support - namely Ryan Hartman, Nick Schmaltz, and Mark McNeill - but it's unclear how soon that production will come. Putting their scoring hopes on the backs of rookies is risky business.

Is there enough defensive depth?

Much like the Hawks' forward group, their blue line is top-heavy, with defensive stalwarts in Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and an ideal second-pairing defender in Niklas Hjalmarsson. The rest of the group leaves a lot to be desired.

Head coach Joel Quenneville shuffled his bottom pairing last season, struggling to find the right fit. Eleven defensemen saw time on the Blackhawks' blue line in 2015-16.

The team brought back former Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell, 37, who spent the last five seasons with the Florida Panthers. While it'd be unrealistic to expect the same production Campbell provided the Blackhawks in his first tenure, he'll solidify the team's top four, after leading all Panthers in ice time last season (22:16 minutes per game).

Trevor van Riemsdyk and Michal Kempny are the likely favorites to fill out the bottom pairing. Van Riemsdyk appeared in all 82 games last season, while Kempny joins the team as a free agent, after spending last season with Omsk of the KHL, leading the team's blue-liners with 21 points.

The Hawks also re-signed experienced defenseman Michal Rozsival, who, when healthy, provides veteran support on the back end.

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