Ilya Kovalchuk won't be coming back to the NHL this season after all. The former Thrasher and Devil will return to the KHL for at least one more year, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

New Jersey owns Kovalchuk's rights for one more season. Brooks added that the Devils made an effort to trade the Russian sniper, but they were obviously unsuccessful.

Kovalchuk, 34, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2018. So if he still intends to return to the NHL by then, he will be free to sign with any team he chooses, without the hassles and complications of a sign-and-trade.

The former first overall pick is coming off a career-high 32 goals and 78 points in his most recent KHL season, leading St. Petersburg SKA to a Gagarin Cup title.

In his NHL career, he totaled 417 goals and 816 points in 816 career games before heading home to Russia following the lockout shortened 2012-13 season. This came just three years after he signed a 15-year, $100 million contract with the Devils.

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Minnesota Wild forward Nino Niederreiter has filed for arbitration ahead of Wednesday's deadline, Michael Russo of The Star Tribune reports.

However, Russo notes negotiations between the Wild and the restricted free agent have begun. Both parties would meet with a neutral arbitrator to reach a deal before the season if discussions continue through the summer.

Niederreiter, 24, is in prime position to vie for a considerable raise, coming off a career-best season in which he notched 25 goals and 32 assists in 82 games, despite averaging just 15 minutes of ice time per night.

Minnesota has over $15 million in cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly, with Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund, and the newly acquired Marcus Foligno in need of new contracts.

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The San Jose Sharks could hardly afford to lose Patrick Marleau's offensive production after finishing 19th in the NHL in goals for last season. But with Marleau, who's averaged 26 goals per season over the last four years, now in Toronto, the Sharks have a major hole to fill up front.

San Jose has a little over $10 million in cap space, per Cap Friendly, but there are few options available in free agency. It's possible it could sign one of the remaining veteran wingers, such as Jaromir Jagr, Thomas Vanek, or Brian Gionta.

However, if the Sharks choose to rely on internal options, the following three players have the best chance of getting it done.

Timo Meier

Meier, 20, was taken ninth overall by the Sharks in the 2015 draft.

As a rookie in 2016-17, Meier had only three goals and three assists in 34 games, but he was often stuck on the third or fourth line, as he averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time per game.

In the limited role, the Swiss-born winger had an astounding 85 shots on goal. In fact, he finished fourth in the NHL in shots per 60 minutes, behind Alex Ovechkin, Jack Eichel, and Jeff Skinner among players who played at least 10 games.

Despite last season's low shooting percentage of 3.5, Meier does have a good shot - he buried 14 goals in 33 AHL games last year.

At 6-feet, 210 pounds, Meier is physically ready for an increased role. He's heavy on his stick, great in the cycle, and could easily pot 25 goals with a full season in the top-six with Joe Thornton or Logan Couture as his center.

Tomas Hertl

Hertl played just 49 games in an injury-riddled 2016-17 season, totaling 10 goals and 12 assists. He spent parts of last season on the wing alongside Thornton and Joe Pavelski, but also spent a large portion of the year centering the third line.

With Chris Tierney seemingly ready to take over third-line center duties full time, Hertl could spend more time on the wing in a top-six role, where his scoring touch can be put to better use.

He scored 21 goals in 2015-16, and heading into his fifth NHL season, the 23-year-old Czech native could take off with a more prominent workload potentially on the horizon.

Jannik Hansen

Hansen isn't the flashiest player, but he is a very effective two-way winger capable of playing up and down the lineup. He can also put the puck in the back of the net when he's put in the right situation.

In 2015-16, Hansen posted a career-high 22 goals in just 67 games while playing alongside the Sedin twins in Vancouver.

The hard-working Dane could easily bury 20-to-25 goals if he can stay healthy and remain in the top-six all year. He'll certainly be playing with extra motivation given that he's in the final year of his contract.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Nail Yakupov, the team announced Tuesday.

The contract is for one year and is worth $875,000, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Yakupov, taken first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2012 draft, was dealt to the St. Louis Blues last October, but didn't receive a qualifying offer at season's end.

The 23-year-old never found his footing with the Oilers and failed to gain traction when given a new opportunity with the Blues. In 40 games during the 2016-17 campaign, Yakupov recorded nine points while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time per game, frequently landing in the press box as a healthy scratch.

For his career, Yakupov's notched 120 points in 292 games, never living up to the buzz he generated coming out of junior. His best season came as a rookie in 2012-13, when he tallied 31 points in the lockout-shortened 48-game season.

For the Avalanche, who quite frankly have nothing to lose after a dreadful 48-point showing in 2016-17, it's a worthwhile gamble adding Yakupov at such a modest price.

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The Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Marcus Kruger from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2018, the team announced.

Kruger, 27, had spent his entire NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks until he was dealt to the Golden Knights on July 2 for future considerations. Kruger's cap hit of $3,083,333 for the next two seasons simply became a luxury the Blackhawks could not afford for a fourth-line center.

Though his career high in points is just 28, Kruger will immediately bring big-game experience and a championship pedigree to one of the NHL's youngest dressing rooms. He was a member of Chicago's 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup teams, and has 398 regular season games, and 87 playoff games under his belt.

Kruger won't head into the Canes' locker room as a complete stranger, though. Two of his former Blackhawks teammates, Scott Darling and Trevor van Riemsdyk, were also sent to Carolina this offseason. A third, Teuvo Teravainen, was acquired by the Hurricanes last offseason. Raleigh might need to start being known as Chicago-south.

On the ice, the Hurricanes lack a true No. 1 center, so being able to roll out four lines with four trustworthy centermen is crucial to their success.

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Kevin Shattenkirk could've gotten more money but took less to join the New York Rangers.

Joe Thornton could've gotten a multiyear deal from someone but wanted to stay with the San Jose Sharks.

Brian Campbell and Patrick Sharp could've gotten more money the past two summers but took the Chicago discount to return to the Blackhawks.

The NHL is becoming more like the NBA with top players forgoing longer, big-money contracts to pick their preferred destination, a trend that has added a new wrinkle to free agency.

''It's their opportunity to go to where they want to go and sometimes you might have to take a little bit less money to go there,'' Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said. ''Do you want to go to a good team? Is it a city you want to go to? Is it where your family wants to be? ... It's players finding the right fit for where they want to be and having the money that they can live with.''

Shattenkirk is not exactly LeBron James, but the New Rochelle, New York, native filled that role on Saturday when he turned down offers of seven years and over $30 million to sign with the Rangers for $26.6 million over just four years. The 28-year-old defenseman felt like it may be his only opportunity to ''fulfill a lifelong dream'' and wants to help pull off what LeBron did in Cleveland.

''No matter where you go you're trying to win your team a Stanley Cup,'' Shattenkirk said. ''There's no better place to try to do it for me than in New York.''

Rangers GM Jeff Gorton praised Shattenkirk for leaving money and years on the table, and even New Jersey's Ray Shero - who made a strong push to sign the top free agent available - gave him credit for signing in New York because it was ''where he wanted to be.''

The NHL's hard salary cap and players re-signing to so many long-term deals means super teams like in the NBA won't happen. But where and who matters more and more to hockey players than simply how much and for how long.

Thornton had more than half the 31-team league reach out to sign him at age 38 and signed for $8 million for one year because he simply wanted to stay in San Jose.

''It was nice getting courted by all these teams, and I felt bad saying, `Hey I'm going back to San Jose,' but that's where my heart is and that's where I'm happy,'' Thornton said.

Likewise, Sharp couldn't pass up going back to Chicago where he was part of three Stanley Cup teams, even if his contract is worth just $850,000 with performance bonuses. Sharp said he was ''coming back to make some more great memories and try to help this team win another Stanley Cup,'' which Campbell tried last offseason, too.

Familiarity with Nashville and coach Peter Laviolette led Scott Hartnell to return to the Predators one a $1 million, one-year deal, after playing his first six NHL seasons with them.

''Absolutely love coming back to Nashville,'' Hartnell said. ''I wish it was October already.''

That kind of natural excitement doesn't happen everywhere. Executives around the league don't begrudge players for making personal choices.

''Players have priorities on where they want to play: family reasons, where teams are, whether they're on the verge of winning a Stanley Cup or a rebuilding situation,'' Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill said. ''I think that happens every year.''

Some money factors could play a role, such as Alexander Radulov making more in Dallas than he would have earned on the same, exact contract in Montreal or Vegas, Tampa Bay and Florida having a leg up in states with no income tax. But the Stars wouldn't have attracted Radulov if they weren't contenders.

''Trying to win is a huge component to players picking places,'' said veteran winger Chris Kunitz, who won the Cup three times with the Penguins and signed with the Lightning. ''I think we're all pretty fortunate in what we do, but we also want to go out there and compete and have a chance to win.''

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AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, and freelancer reporter Jim Diamond in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed.

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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno .

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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

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As NHL general managers re-tool their teams through free agency, fantasy owners stand by and watch values rise and fall as players' addresses change and depth charts are shuffled.

These five skaters have all landed in positive situations and should be selected a little earlier in 2017-18 fantasy drafts. Owners in keeper leagues could target each of these players via a buy-low trade before their improved statistics inflate their asking prices.

Martin Hanzal, Stars

Hanzal finished the 2016-17 season ranked No. 225 by ESPN's Player Rater. He scored 20 goals in 71 games split between the Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild - his first career 20-goal season - but picked up just 19 assists. Though his point-per-game pace increased after being traded to the Wild, his shooting percentage regressed to his career average.

Hanzal will likely take over as the Dallas Stars' second-line center, allowing the team to use fellow centers Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza on the top line with Jamie Benn full time.

That would pair Hanzal with fellow free-agent addition Alexander Radulov, and he should have an opportunity to set new career highs with the pass-happy Russian. Hanzal tied a career high with 169 shots on goal last season, has averaged more than two SOG per game over his career, and has scored at a rate of 9.3 percent.

Radim Vrbata, Panthers

Hanzal's most common linemate last season also has an improved outlook now he's been freed from Arizona.

Vrbata may be in tough to replace Jaromir Jagr, but he'll likely take over as the third piece of the Panthers' top line with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau.

Florida also lost forward Jonathan Marchessault to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. With him and Jagr gone, Vrbata needs to help account for their totals of 274 shots on goal, 46 goals, and 97 points.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Scott Hartnell, Predators

Hartnell's also charged with helping address a void created by the expansion draft, as he'll fill the hole left by James Neal on one of the Nashville Predators' top two lines. Neal registered 202 SOG, 23 goals, and 41 points while averaging 17:42 of ice time last season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets bought Hartnell out after he scored 13 goals and totaled 37 points last season - his lowest point total in a season where he played at least 75 games since 2002-03, snapping a streak of three straight 20-goal campaigns. He'll likely see a dramatic jump from his 12:04 of ice time last year, and will probably have the opportunity to replace Neal on the Predators' top power-play unit after totaling just three points with the man advantage during his final year in Columbus.

Mike Cammalleri, Kings

Cammalleri's 10 goals and 31 points in 2016-17 were his fewest since his sophomore season in the NHL, a year in which he played just 31 games.

The Los Angeles Kings hope a reunion will help the 35-year-old Cammalleri turn back the clock. He still averaged well over two SOG per game last year, but his 7.0 shooting percentage - a career low - represented nearly half of his 2015-16 mark, and a far cry from his 12.3 percent average of 12.3.

Cammalleri could get a shot at filling one of the spots beside center Anze Kopitar, where his career 49.6 Corsi For percentage could be covered up by the routine Selke Trophy candidate. Kopitar's most common linemates last season, Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik, totaled just 24 goals and 57 points.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Trevor Daley, Red Wings

There's no doubt Daley's joining an inferior team with his move from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Detroit Red Wings, but fantasy owners only need to care about his personal opportunity.

Daley played just 2.3 percent of the Penguins' power-play minutes last season, operating behind defenders Justin Schultz and Kris Letang. He totaled just four points with the man advantage.

Defensemen Niklas Kronwall and Mike Green played the bulk of the Red Wings' power-play minutes last season. Kronwall was especially ineffective, recording just six assists and no goals.

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It wasn't an easy decision for Patrick Marleau to leave the organization that drafted him 20 years ago.

Speaking on Toronto's TSN 1050 on Monday, Marleau said he and his family spent a week weighing the pros and cons of parting ways with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent, making use of several notebooks to do so.

In the end, the Maple Leafs won out for several reasons.

"It came down to the excitement, the management there, the coaching staff, all the excitement around the team, the players that they have there now, the players that are going to be coming up in their system," he said.

"It just felt right."

Mike Babcock played a big role in recruiting the veteran winger, and the coach's belief in him played a huge role in the decision-making process.

"I know him from the Olympics, and I know he's going to expect a lot out of me. I've go to put in the work and prove him right. That's my job and that's what I'm looking forward to doing."

Marleau added the up-and-coming Leafs are now seen as a team guys want to play for, and he feels he has plenty left in the tank to help the team rise to the top.

"Whatever my age is, I don't feel that old," said Marleau, who'll turn 38 on Sept. 15. "I feel like I'm still full of piss and vinegar, and I know that these kids they have here are full of it. I'm going to feed off of it and use it to my advantage."

Marleau also talked specifically about Auston Matthews, calling him "a special, special player" who would be "awesome" to play with.

He leaves the Sharks as the club's all-time leader in games played, goals, and total points in hopes of adding a Stanley Cup to his bio before he calls it a career.

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