It appears the Edmonton Oilers' depth at center has caught the eye of unrestricted free agent Kris Versteeg.

The 30-year-old right-winger agreed to a professional tryout contract (PTO) with the club on Friday, and says the Oilers are full of exciting potential linemates.

"(Leon) Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, or [Connor] McDavid ... It's a great group up the middle and they make wingers like me excited," said Versteeg. "Hopefully I can work my way in there and earn a contract."

Beyond Edmonton's talented centers, Versteeg also noted that relationships with the newest member of the team, Milan Lucic, and defenseman Brandon Davidson, played a part in his decision to sign the PTO.

Versteeg will have to earn his spot, as the Oilers already boast a large contingent of right wingers, including Jordan Eberle, Zack Kassian, Jesse Puljujarvi, Nail Yakupov, and Iro Pakarinen.

On the other hand, Versteeg will have a leg up in terms of experience. He's dressed in more regular season games and more playoff games than any of the others, and is the only player among the five to capture not just one, but two Stanley Cups.

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Finally, some clarity.

The Las Vegas NHL franchise will indeed include Knights, with something descriptive tagged in front, owner Bill Foley confirmed on Sportsbook Radio on Friday.

In Foley's words:

We went through with Adidas again last week. We have our colors picked, we have our basic logo picked, it needs some refinement. We have moved some color schemes around, and the team will be something Knights. K-n-i-g-h-t-s. We have the name. The name is trademarked, we have the domain name. That’s all I can say right now.

It's not the name Foley wanted, but close enough.

While Sand Knights proved to be a decoy and has been ruled out, that leaves Silver Knights, Golden Knights, and Desert Knights as the nicknames registered and trademarked by Foley.

The nickname is expected to be officially revealed sometime in October.

- With h/t to The Sin Bin

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It was a nice idea that didn't pan out in the end.

Back in 2012, the Carolina Hurricanes traded for Jordan Staal with a view to teaming him up with brother Eric Staal in hopes of getting Carolina back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Now only Jordan remains, with Eric having been traded to New York prior to the 2016 trade deadline and subsequently signing with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent this summer.

Things just aren't the same, Jordan admitted as training camp gets set to open.

"I miss having (Eric) here," he said, according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. "It’s definitely different not having him around. (But) it is what is. Obviously it has been a ... while now, knowing he wouldn’t come back. It’s definitely different."

Jordan remains under contract through to the end of the 2022-23 season, and doesn't see his on-ice role changing much now that his brother is gone.

"I don’t think my role is going to change a whole lot as to what it was last year," he said. "I think I’m going to be playing the same kind of minutes, the same style and with the same linemates, so it doesn’t really change for me."

It is possible he'll be asked to fill the captaincy left vacant by Eric Staal's departure, though. While he doesn't seem to be pining for the gig, he's open to stepping up as one of the veteran members of the team.

"Obviously when you lose someone like that there’s going to be holes," he said. "Apparently I’m one of the older ones. It kind of happens that way sometimes, some of the older guys take more control of the room. When you lose a leader like that, it’s an opportunity to show how you lead as well."

Jordan ranked second on the Hurricanes in points last season with 48 in 82 games.

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The NHL will have four independent spotters monitor games on television this season to assist in detecting signs of concussions and potential head injuries, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

These "central spotters" will reportedly have the ability to communicate with teams and their training staffs if they see "visible signs" of a concussion to initiate the removal of a player from the game and begin concussion protocol.

The spotters are believed to have hockey backgrounds, according to Friedman. Teams will apparently still have their own spotters in the arenas.

The league will officially announce the change shortly before the regular season starts, a source told Friedman.

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The NHL will have four independent spotters monitor games on television this season to assist in detecting signs of concussions and potential head injuries, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

These "central spotters" will reportedly have the ability to communicate with teams and their training staffs if they see "visible signs" of a concussion to initiate the removal of a player from the game and begin concussion protocol.

The spotters are believed to have hockey backgrounds, according to Friedman. Teams will apparently still have their own spotters in the arenas.

The league will officially announce the change shortly before the regular season starts, a source told Friedman.

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Marian Hossa appears to have dodged a bullet on the injury front, despite being a bit banged up after taking a puck to his right skate during Thursday's World Cup pre-tournament game against North America.

The Europe forward suffered a bruised right foot in the second period, a source told Scott Powers of The Athletic. The diagnosis became more clear following a trip to the hospital for X-rays.

Hossa could miss one or both of Europe's remaining exhibition contests, but is expected to resume play once the preliminary round begins, the source told Powers.

Good news for Team Europe, as well as the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Kris Versteeg could be in training camp with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

The secondary-scoring journeyman winger is closing in on a pro tryout agreement with Edmonton, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

Many were quick to link Versteeg to the Oilers after his agreement with SC Bern of Switzerland's top division fell through, given Edmonton's need for proven top-nine depth on the wing.

Versteeg would provide a contrasting skill set to the big-bodied top-nine players on the depth chart, and also some insurance for Jesse Puljujarvi and Nail Yakupov.

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Kris Versteeg could be in training camp with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

The secondary-scoring journeyman winger is closing in on a pro tryout agreement with Edmonton, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

Many were quick to link Versteeg to the Oilers after his agreement with SC Bern of Switzerland's top division fell through, given Edmonton's need for proven top-nine depth on the wing.

Versteeg would provide a contrasting skill set to the big-bodied top-nine players on the depth chart, and also some insurance for Jesse Puljujarvi and Nail Yakupov.

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It was a choice conspicuous in its obviousness.

Todd McLellan appointed Connor McDavid captain of Team North America for the materializing World Cup of Hockey prior to the team's first pre-tournament contest Thursday, an announcement that should have surprised no one.

That's not because of his superior talent, or because he possesses a sort of bravado leaders tend to have, or because McLellan and McDavid built a rapport in one year in Edmonton. It wasn't even because his arrival may well have been the inspiration behind assembling this roster for this showcase exhibition in the first place.

It was because a group of lottery selections, future Stanley Cup champions, and MVPs involuntarily submitted to the 19-year-old phenom.

At least, that's how McLellan saw it.

The NHL's international experiment will soon be over, and the same debate, involving the same central characters, will resume a couple thousand miles west of Quebec City, where Team North America hosted (and whipped) Team Europe in Thursday's game.

The difference being, of course, that in Edmonton, there's nothing fleeting about deciding on the next captain.

But that doesn't make the decision any less obvious.

Connor McDavid doesn't need a trial run. He doesn't need to demonstrate he has the requisite leadership qualities of an NHL captain. He doesn't have a thing to prove to McLellan, or general manager Peter Chiarelli. He's the undeniable face of the franchise, a legitimate superstar, and, most importantly, the only person inside the organization capable of guiding the Oilers through this necessary transitional period.

When McDavid and McLellan return at the end of September and begin camp in a brand-new, state-of-the-art arena, things will unfold one of two ways. The Oilers could drag out the decision, creating an unnecessary distraction for McDavid and his teammates (who, like North America, have already gravitated to the young superstar) during a whirlwind camp.

Or, the press room will be prepped for the morning of their return, much like it was for McLellan when he was named coach two days after leading Canada to a world championship in the Czech Republic. And there will be a No. 97 sweater with the correct letter stitched to the shoulder for the youngest captain in NHL history.

The Oilers have been waiting around far too long. It's time to cut to the chase.

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It was a choice conspicuous in its obviousness.

Todd McLellan appointed Connor McDavid captain of Team North America for the materializing World Cup of Hockey prior to the team's first pre-tournament contest Thursday, an announcement that should have surprised no one.

That's not because of his superior talent, or because he possesses a sort of bravado leaders tend to have, or because McLellan and McDavid built a rapport in one year in Edmonton. It wasn't even because his arrival may well have been the inspiration behind assembling this roster for this showcase exhibition in the first place.

It was because a group of lottery selections, future Stanley Cup champions, and MVPs involuntarily submitted to the 19-year-old phenom.

At least, that's how McLellan saw it.

The NHL's international experiment will soon be over, and the same debate, involving the same central characters, will resume a couple thousand miles west of Quebec City, where Team North America hosted (and whipped) Team Europe in Thursday's game.

The difference being, of course, that in Edmonton, there's nothing fleeting about deciding on the next captain.

But that doesn't make the decision any less obvious.

Connor McDavid doesn't need a trial run. He doesn't need to demonstrate he has the requisite leadership qualities of an NHL captain. He doesn't have a thing to prove to McLellan, or general manager Peter Chiarelli. He's the undeniable face of the franchise, a legitimate superstar, and, most importantly, the only person inside the organization capable of guiding the Oilers through this necessary transitional period.

When McDavid and McLellan return at the end of September and begin camp in a brand-new, state-of-the-art arena, things will unfold one of two ways. The Oilers could drag out the decision, creating an unnecessary distraction for McDavid and his teammates (who, like North America, have already gravitated to the young superstar) during a whirlwind camp.

Or, the press room will be prepped for the morning of their return, much like it was for McLellan when he was named coach two days after leading Canada to a world championship in the Czech Republic. And there will be a No. 97 sweater with the correct letter stitched to the shoulder for the youngest captain in NHL history.

The Oilers have been waiting around far too long. It's time to cut to the chase.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.