Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson served as the Edmonton Oilers top defensive unit last season. The young duo was awfully successful, as Klefbom led the team's defensemen in goals and points, while Larsson - the more defensive-minded of the two - led the team in hits and defensive point shares.

To no one's surprise, head coach Todd McLellan hopes the pair of 24-year-old, 6-foot-3, Swedish defensemen can remain together for the coming season.

"In an ideal world, we'll keep them together," McLellan said, according to Chris Wescott of edmontonoilers.com. "I thought they really grew up as a pair throughout the regular season and could be counted on in a number of different situations, whether it was the need for offense or a shutdown situation."

There is one slight roadblock, however.

Veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera suffered a torn ACL in the second round of the playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks. After the series concluded (in mid-May), the Oilers announced Sekera would miss the next six-to-nine months, meaning there's a good chance he'll miss a large chunk of the coming season.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Sekera was usually paired with Kris Russell, but with the former out of the picture for the foreseeable future, someone will need to step up into a top-4 role.

Despite the hole that needs to be filled, McLellan is confident his young defense corps will grow and suffice the loss of a reliable blue-liner.

"We're expecting the group to come back and pick up where they left off," McLellan said of the defense. "It's not like it's a new group that has to learn the systems, the ways, the language, or even learn each other really, if that makes any sense.

"We're hoping they can pick up where they left off and we also want some of our younger players to come in and push and challenge. The minute you get that happening - the internal competition - I think your team is beginning to get set up for a good future."

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With the Mark Sreit signing Tuesday it's becoming more and more likely that Andrei Markov won't be returning to the Montreal Canadiens.

Markov, a veteran of 990 career games, all with the Canadiens, is an unrestricted free-agent and appears to be holding out hope that a return will happen, as Markov has yet to seek out offers from any other teams, sources said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

In late June it was reported that Markov was seeking a two-year, $12-million contract, but Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin made it clear he would have to take less when he said it would be impossible to sign both Markov and then-UFA Alexander Radulov at their demands.

This offseason, the Canadiens have inked defensemen Streit, Karl Alzner, David Schlemko, and Joe Morrow. In all, Montreal has eight defenseman locked up, meaning they might not have the roster spot for Markov regardless of cap space.

If the 38-year-old's time in Montreal has come to an end, he will finish with the second-most games played among Canadiens defensemen, while ranking second in both assists and points with 453 and 572, respectively.

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The Washington Capitals and captain Alex Ovechkin have faced no shortage of criticism for their lack of playoff success during the latter's illustrious 12-year NHL career.

Three-time Stanley Cup winner Evgeni Malkin wants that criticism to stop, and defended his compatriot.

While the Capitals are coming off consecutive Presidents' Trophy wins, Malkin's Pittsburgh Penguins lifted the Cup at the end of each postseason, beating out the Capitals in the second round both years.

The two superstars have had very similar regular-season careers to date, after they were selected with the first two picks of the 2004 draft.

However, their playoff numbers haven't been nearly as comparable.

Malkin also has a Conn Smythe Trophy to his name from Pittsburgh's first of three Stanley Cups during his tenure.

The discrepancy in playoff success did not factor into NHL.com's widely discussed list of 100 Greatest NHL Players, which included Ovechkin but most notably left off Malkin.

It was a snub that Malkin is finding easier to cope with one year later.

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Following his second straight Stanley Cup-winning season, Matt Murray has earned the right to be called the Pittsburgh Penguins' starting goalie.

However, that doesn't mean he fails to recognize the positive impact that former No. 1 Marc-Andre Fleury had on his career during their two seasons playing together.

"I’m forever grateful to everything that Marc has ever done for me. It’s sad to see him go," Murray said Tuesday, according to Leith Dunick of SooToday.com.

"Honestly even though we competed for playing time and were competitors in that regard, we’re all part of the same team and we’re all out there for one thing, that’s to win. Having 'Flower' definitely gave us a good chance to win. His presence on and off the ice, he’s a guy that’s going to be missed on and off the ice."

Murray's former mentor leaves Pittsburgh after spending his entire career with the Penguins. Over the past 13 seasons, "Flower" has registered a 375-216-68 record to go along with a 2.58 goals-against average, .912 save percentage, and three Cups.

With two rings already under his belt at 23 years of age, Murray is well on his way to eclipsing Fleury's legacy in Pittsburgh. With that being said, the young netminder knows that next year will be an entirely different challenge.

"This year it’s a little bit different. We lost some key pieces and we’re going to have a new look going into this season," said Murray. "But I think we’ve added some key pieces as well and I think we’re in really good shape. Of course it’s going to be difficult, but I think if there’s a team that can do it, we can do it."

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The Boston Bruins avoided arbitration with center Ryan Spooner on Wednesday, coming to terms on a one-year deal that will pay the 25-year-old $2.8 million.

With 214 games and 117 points under his belt, it's a bit of a wonder why Spooner isn't more of a recognized name. Especially considering his ability to score on the power play - a fact that is not lost on Boston general manager Don Sweeney.

Related: Bruins settle with Spooner on 1-year deal

"We know Ryan has the offensive skills to be an impactful player, especially while on the power play," Sweeney said, according to NHL.com. "We expect Ryan to continue to take the necessary steps with his development to be an even more complete, two-way player."

Over the last two seasons, the Ottawa native has tallied nine goals and 26 assists on the man advantage while serving as a key contributor on the Bruins' top power-play unit. But, Spooner recognizes that he needs to add another element to his game in order to be a more complete player.

"I think the next step that I need to make is when the offense kind of dries up I need to be able to be more of a dependable, defensive guy," Spooner said.

"That's kind of what I need to work on. And if that's strength or kind of the mental side of the game, that's kind of for me to figure out, that's what I've been trying to do and trying to get to the gym and just kind of work on my game."

Spooner is coming off a 2016-17 campaign in which he registered 11 goals and 28 assists to go along with three game-winning goals.

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Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher is hopeful he won't need the arbitration process when it comes to locking down two of his brightest stars.

Forwards Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter have both filed for arbitration, with dates scheduled for August 3 and August 4, respectively. However, Fletcher is steadfast negotiations won't reach that point.

"We'll keep plodding along," Fletcher told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune on Wednesday. "Everyone's working hard, we've had good dialogue, but obviously we haven't gotten to the finish line yet. If you look around the league, negotiations tend to go right down to the arbitration day or the day before, or the day after the hearing sometimes even.

"Nothing prods progress more than a deadline."

In this instance, progress is vital as Granlund and Niederreiter played huge roles in Minnesota's 106-point campaign in 2016-17. Both players had career years last season, as Granlund led the Wild with 69 points, and Niederreiter contributed 57.

Fletcher can lock up both forwards long-term by avoiding arbitration, which is a likely scenario for both players.

"We're open to any angle," Fletcher said. "I guess anything's possible, but somewhere in that three-to-five year range would probably work well for everybody. That's not to preclude a longer deal, but that's not where the focus has been on our end."

According to CapFriendly, Minnesota has more than $15 million in cap space to use on new contracts for Granlund, Niederreiter, and the newly-acquired Marcus Foligno, who didn't file for arbitration,

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As Jimmy Vesey taught us last year, nothing kicks the dog days of the NHL offseason into overdrive like the pursuit of a college free agent, and, as of Wednesday, all 31 teams will have a chance to lure 2017's top candidate: Denver defenseman Will Butcher.

Butcher's agent announced his client will venture into the open market this summer, and will officially become an unrestricted free agent Aug. 15. The 22-year-old was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2013, and while the Avs are still a potential destination, it appears he's looking to test the waters.

So, who exactly is this guy?

For starters, he's coming off a tremendously successful senior campaign as the Pioneers' captain, earning the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player in conjunction with winning the Frozen Four title in April.

Butcher comes in a 5-foot-10, 186 pounds, and recorded seven goals and 30 assists in 43 games in 2016-17. With several NHL teams looking to add young, cheap defensive talent, the Wisconsin native should have a fair list of suitors, and below are three teams that would be wise to pursue his talents.

Chicago Blackhawks

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

The Blackhawks only have five defensemen under NHL contracts, and adding Butcher to the list of prospects vying for the sixth and final starting spot is a low-risk option.

Believe it or not, Chicago can afford adding Butcher to its ledger, as he can only sign for a max base salary of $925,000. Bonuses could wind up costing the team more, but the chances of him coming in and immediately making that large an impact are slim.

After the loss of stay-at-home stalwart Niklas Hjalmarsson, the Blackhawks' blue line isn't much to write home about, and giving Butcher a shot could help fill the void.

Pittsburgh Penguins

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Who wouldn't want to join the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions?

The Penguins could certainly make an easy sales pitch to Butcher, and could use the depth, too. Pittsburgh lost both Ron Hainsey and Trevor Daley in free agency, and its defensive corps has a long injury history.

Pittsburgh's up-tempo style has to be attractive for an offensive-minded rearguard like Butcher, and whether he immediately joins the big club or needs time to season in the AHL, he'd be joining a top-tier organization, as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins finished last season with a 51-20-3 record.

Toronto Maple Leafs

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Thanks to their most successful season in more than a decade, and some fellow named Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs - for the first time in a long time - appear to be a favorable free-agent destination.

Toronto's quest to shore up its defense has been well documented this offseason, and bringing in the aforementioned Hainsey is the lone NHL move the club has made.

The Maple Leafs signed Swedish prospects Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman, and drafted blue-chip prospect Timothy Liljegren, but none of those players appear ready to make an impact in the pros. Butcher almost certainly fits in that same category with Toronto, but, as the team proved during its rapid ascension, too many good prospects is never a bad thing.

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It's no secret that a large group of NHL players are discouraged by the fact that they won't have the opportunity to represent their countries at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and you can count Connor McDavid among them.

McDavid previously played for Canada internationally at the World Junior Championship in 2015 and the World Championship in 2016, earning gold in both tournaments, so not being able to suit up in South Korea is a reality that irks the game's highest-paid player.

"I'm really upset about it," McDavid said Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

"You want to be able to represent your country on the highest stage, and the Olympics is obviously the highest stage possible. To know that you might not be able to represent your country at the Olympics for another four years for sure ... Even if you’re able to in four years, it's disappointing."

The Edmonton Oilers captain also realizes that without access to the NHL's elite talent, Team Canada won't be able to assemble its usual all-world roster.

"I don't think Team Canada will be able to put together a team like they'd be able to put together this year (if NHLers were permitted)," said McDavid. "It would've been a special group, and you're just hoping to be a part of it."

Despite being arguably the best player on the planet, McDavid won't have any influence over the Oilers' front office decisions regarding the availability of their players for the games.

"No, I’m not too involved in all that stuff. There's a lot of guys who've been in the league a lot longer than I have and have a lot more pull than I do," McDavid said. "You don't want to leave your team for a month.

"It's disappointing, but that's the way it is."

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