The Ottawa Senators signed netminder Craig Anderson to a two-year, $9.5-million extension Friday, the team announced.

Anderson's new deal has an average annual value of $4.75 million, and includes a 10-team no-trade clause.

At age 36, he has proven he can still anchor the Senators' crease. Across 40 regular-season games in his last campaign, which was cut short due to his wife battling cancer, Anderson posted a solid record of 25-11-4 to go along with an impressive 2.28 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.

His current deal expires at the end of the 2017-18 season.

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Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. Our final list focuses on the greatest players (Note: "All-Star" refers to end-of-season All-Star team voting and not to appearances in the All-Star Game):

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1

Voter List

• James Bisson, National Sports Editor
• Joe Ross, Vice-President, Content
• Josh Wegman, NHL News Editor
• Sean O'Leary, NHL News Editor
• Esten McLaren, NHL News Editor
• Craig Hagerman, NHL News Editor
• Lanny Foster, Senior Social Media Editor
• Michael Amato, Senior News Editor
• Lucas Casaletto, News Editor
• Arun Srinivasan, News Editor
• Adam Sarson, Operations Lead

20. Paul Coffey

The Oilers constructed one of the greatest offensive juggernauts in NHL history - and everyone got in on the fun, including Coffey. A "defenseman" in name only, Coffey posted five 100-point campaigns and owns the single-season record for goals by a blue-liner (48). Add in eight All-Star berths, three Norris Trophies, and four Stanley Cups, and you have one heck of a career.

19. Doug Harvey

Harvey is the personification of the age-old sports rule, "Don't scout the stat line." Despite posting modest offensive numbers, Harvey was the greatest defender of his generation, winning seven Norris Trophies in a nine-year span and making the All-Star team in 11 straight seasons. He was also a six-time Stanley Cup champion, and finished in the top five of Hart voting five times.

18. Joe Sakic

Sakic and Ron Francis enjoyed similar careers, but Sakic gets the edge thanks to his incredible 2000-01 campaign, in which he won the Hart, Pearson, and Lady Byng Trophies while racking up a career-best 118 points. He finished on the All-Star team three times and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1996 after leading Colorado to its first-ever Stanley Cup title.

17. Ray Bourque

Bourque might not be the greatest defenseman in history - or even the best one who played most of his career in Boston - but few players can match his credentials. Start with five Norris Trophies, four of which came in a dominant five-year span in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Add 19 All-Star nods - the last when he was 40 years old - and he's the most consistently great blue-liner ever.

16. Marcel Dionne

Dionne will forever be the answer to the trivia question: "Who won the last scoring title before Wayne Gretzky took over?" It was the only Art Ross for Dionne, who had eight 100-point seasons, won two Lady Byngs, made four All-Star teams, and finished top five in Hart Trophy voting four times. The only blight on his record? Just 49 playoff games - and zero Cups.

15. Patrick Roy

The Canadiens knew Roy had something special when he backstopped the team to a Stanley Cup title at age 21. Roy would go on to become one of the greatest netminders in history, winning three Vezina Trophies, five Jennings Trophies, and earning the Conn Smythe three times. He finished his career with four Cups, and was named to the All-Star team six times.

14. Martin Brodeur

No NHL goaltender has experienced the thrill of victory more often than Brodeur, whose 691 regular-season wins might never be surpassed. Brodeur led the league in wins nine times altogether and was never more dominant than from 2002-08, during which he won four Vezina Trophies and was a top-five Hart finalist on four occasions.

13. Steve Yzerman

It was said earlier in these rankings that joining an exclusive club with Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky is a truly legendary achievement - and Yzerman did just that in 1988-89, becoming the third player to record 155 points in a season. That was the highlight of a sensational career in which Yzerman won a Selke, a Conn Smythe, a Masterton, and three Stanley Cups.

12. Nicklas Lidstrom

It's one thing for a defenseman to play at an elite level for 17 years - and Lidstrom did just that, winning seven Norris Trophies while being named to 12 All-Star teams. It's another thing altogether to do so without taking bad penalties; Lidstrom was an all-timer in that category, finishing top five in Lady Byng voting 11 times while averaging 26 penalty minutes per season.

11. Mike Bossy

Bossy is the most prolific goal-scorer in NHL history, averaging a league-best 0.762 goals per game over the course of his career. Plagued by persistent back problems that forced him into retirement at age 30, Bossy scored 50 goals in every season in which he played more than 65 games - and reached the 60-goal plateau five times, leading the league in goals twice.

10. Phil Esposito

After looking like a good-but-not-elite forward over his first five seasons, "Espo" reached another plane in the early 1970s, winning five scoring titles in a six-year span while leading the league in goals on six occasions. His 152-point eruption in 1970-71 established a scoring benchmark people thought might never be broken. Just over a decade later, it was.

9. Sidney Crosby

Measuring Crosby's career to date, this ranking might seem too high; sure, he has two Hart Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, and a pair of Conn Smythe nods, but guys behind him have stronger resumes. Of course, Crosby just turned 30 - so expect his resume, which already includes three Stanley Cup titles and seven All-Star berths, to grow even longer.

8. Dominik Hasek

There was no better goalie in NHL history than Hasek in his prime. The acrobatic netminder led the NHL in save percentage in six straight seasons, a stretch that saw him take home two Hart Trophies, five Vezina Trophies, and five All-Star nods. He added a sixth Vezina in 2001, and retired with the best save percentage of any former netminder in history.

7. Maurice Richard

Richard was so much more than a hockey player to Montreal fans, which may have played a role in his final ranking. But even from a strict talent standpoint, you would be hard-pressed to find a half-dozen better players in history. Richard made 14 straight All-Star teams, led the league in goals five times, and won a Hart Trophy two years after scoring 50 goals in 50 games.

6. Jaromir Jagr

Trailing only Gretzky in all-time points, Jagr would be even closer had he not decided to spend three seasons overseas. Regardless, he's on track to finish north of 2,000 points - if, that is, he can latch on to a team this season. If this is the end of the line, though, Jagr will depart with a Hart Trophy, five scoring titles, two Stanley Cups, and eight All-Star berths.

5. Mark Messier

After rolling alongside Gretzky, Kurri, and the rest of the Oilers' superstars in the 1980s, Messier proved he could lead his own Stanley Cup champion, guiding both Edmonton and the New York Rangers to titles in the 1990s. He evolved from a hit-first forward into a gifted two-way player, reaching the 100-point plateau six times while winning a pair of Hart Trophies.

4. Gordie Howe

Howe was a force of nature for the better part of 35 years in hockey, 26 of those spent in the NHL. Howe won six Hart Trophies and six scoring titles, and was named to the All-Star team an incredible 21 times. And don't overlook the fact that he recorded 46 points in 80 games in his final NHL season, a campaign he wrapped up just shy of his 52nd birthday.

3. Bobby Orr

For nine magical seasons, Orr revolutionized not only his position, but the way the game was played as a whole. His two scoring titles were the first - and only - ever won by a defenseman, and are part of a resume that includes eight Norris Trophies, three Hart Trophies, a Calder, two Conn Smythes, and the single-season record for points by a defenseman (139).

2. Mario Lemieux

Of all the "if onlys" hockey fans lament, Mario might be the most popular choice next to Orr. In his prime, Lemieux posed a legitimate threat to Gretzky's dominance, coming within one agonizing point of reaching 200 in a magical 1988-89 campaign. He ended up with six scoring titles, three Hart Trophies, nine All-Star nods, and two Cups - and deserved so much more.

1. Wayne Gretzky

No player in North American professional sports has dominated the way Gretzky did in the 1980s, routinely winning scoring titles by 70-plus points while setting records that will never be touched. The final damage: Nine Hart Trophies, 10 scoring titles, 15 All-Star nods, two Conn Smythe Trophies, and four Stanley Cups. He is, quite simply, the greatest player who ever lived.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Preseason in the NHL.

Players get injured, rookies make first impressions, and fans get bent out of shape over numbers that'll likely have very little impact on the regular season.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't some intriguing queries to be pondered heading into the season.

Here are four burning questions as exhibition play wraps:

Who are the Senators without Karlsson?

Stepping back onto the ice is obviously a positive first step, but it's just that - a first step. And with the regular season set to begin in under a week, the Ottawa Senators will likely do so without their No. 1 defenseman.

Sure, Thomas Chabot seems ready to make the jump, but with only 10 minutes of NHL ice time to his name, it may be a tall ask for the rookie to play top-four-type minutes.

The Sens still employ Dion Phaneuf and Cody Ceci, but Ceci seemed lost in the final two rounds of the playoffs, and Phaneuf could struggle under added pressure and minutes.

While Ottawa will try to get by without EK, the bottom line is that these Senators aren't the Senators without their captain. Anticipate Ottawa struggling out of the gate.

Can the Devils bounce back in a big way?

Expecting New Jersey to bounce back after it finished last in the East isn't exactly a bold prediction.

But the Devils stand to be a much-improved club. The additions of No. 1 pick Nico Hischier and winger Marcus Johansson have quickly transformed New Jersey into a club on the rise.

The Devils finished last season with the third-fewest goals (180), but that number should increase significantly due to the aforementioned players - and a reinvigorated Cory Schneider.

The No. 1 goalie struggled last season, posting his worst save percentage (.908) and goals-against average (2.82) since becoming a NHL regular. However, Schneider's looked sharp across four preseason games, his .921 save percentage in line with his .922 career average.

If Schneider can return to his former self and the Devils can get some more scoring, expect a big rebound season in Jersey.

Can the Oilers score 300?

A team hasn't scored 300 goals in the regular season since the 2009-10 Washington Capitals potted 318. But that could change this year - the Edmonton Oilers are poised to put the puck in the net on the regular.

Edmonton has 31 goals in only seven exhibition games - the most in the league. Before you "@" us, we understand preseason stats aren't to be written home about. So, hold up a minute, there's more to it.

Remember, Edmonton ranked eighth in the league with 248 goals last season, and boasts two of the best offensive young stars in the game in Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid - and those two are only getting warmed up.

In addition, a solid supporting cast can also chip in offensively. The group includes newly-acquired forwards Ryan Strome and Jussi Jokinen, and holdovers Patrick Maroon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Milan Lucic.

Three hundred's a steep target, but if any club can do it, it's the Oilers.

Will Calgary find consistency in the crease?

It's been more than four years since Miikka Kiprusoff retired, yet Calgary's goaltending situation has been in flux ever since.

The Flames' latest attempt at a fix is Mike Smith, acquired in an offseason trade. But the preseason results have been concerning.

There's no other way to put it: Smith has looked terrible. He's allowed nine goals on 60 shots, resulting in a horrific .850 save percentage.

Despite a mostly rough 2016-17 season with Arizona (forget about the 2.92 GAA and focus on the .914 save percentage) and a poor start to his tenure in Calgary, Smith is still the most viable option the Flames have had since Kipper.

Of course, it's still the preseason and the 35-year-old Smith has a lot of time to figure it out, but that doesn't hide the fact Calgary enters the season with question marks in net - again.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The NHL reportedly won't be getting rid of national anthems before games and will allow players to protest.

Owners of the league's 31 teams collectively decided not to change the pregame procedure and to respect the players' right to express themselves, reports Sportsnet's John Shannon, characterizing much of the discussion as "constructive."

"Consensus was that fans come to the games to watch the games and enjoy the event. And the anthem is part of the event. It was viewed as a positive tradition," Shannon writes.

In the discussion of player protest, "the consensus was to respect the players and they have to decide what makes them comfortable" regarding "political and social issues."

The Pittsburgh Penguins' controversial decision to visit the White House was apparently also discussed.

NHL owners added the topic of the role of national anthems to their agenda at their meetings in New York earlier this week. That followed U.S. President Donald Trump's incendiary comments about NFL players kneeling to bring attention to police brutality, which led to a widespread protest in that league over the weekend.

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Until anyone proves capable of dethroning the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's their Stanley Cup to lose next spring, but several teams are well positioned to prevent a three-peat.

One of those clubs came close to knocking off the Penguins last season, while another would have been capable of a lengthy Cup run in 2017 if not for a major injury to its captain.

Elsewhere, a certain Western Conference squad will be looking to build on an encouraging return to the playoffs with the Hart Trophy winner and his talented teammate in tow, while a promising Eastern Conference team could accelerate its rebuild in a major way with a long awaited title.

Here's who we project will hoist the ultimate prize in 2018:

Gold-Smith: The Predators came oh, so close to forcing Game 7 against the Penguins in the 2017 Cup Final, and they're ready to avenge that defeat.

Nashville lost some scoring punch this summer when James Neal was claimed in the expansion draft, but the Predators have plenty of firepower with the likes of Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen, plus Kevin Fiala, the promising, young forward who's healthy again.

The Predators' biggest strength is obviously their elite top four on the back end, and while Ryan Ellis will probably need a few months to recover from his injury, he'll be back for the stretch run.

Pekka Rinne turns 35 in November, and that's concerning, but Juuse Saros will be waiting in the wings if the veteran falters. Nashville added Nick Bonino, who'll replace the retired Mike Fisher, and also brought back Scott Hartnell, so one of the NHL's deepest teams is in position to get over the hump.

Hagerman: The Tampa Bay Lightning nearly squeaked into the playoffs last season. A blazing final few weeks saw them ultimately finish just one point out despite having two more wins than the Toronto Maple Leafs. This all while missing Steven Stamkos, who managed 20 points in just 17 games. With their captain back in the fold and likely playing alongside a budding Nikita Kucherov, the club could do some real damage.

Last season Stamkos finished with the third-best points-per-game total behind only Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. Meanwhile, Kucherov finished just four goals shy of Crosby who picked up the Rocket Richard Trophy and Victor Hedman cemented himself among the best defenders in the league.

The Lightning have all the pieces, and health permitting, there is no reason why they can't go the distance.

Livingstone: The Oilers were only a few favorable bounces short of a Western Conference Final berth this past spring. And now, with the long-term futures of franchise cornerstones Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid solidified, Edmonton is ready to take the next step.

While replicating last season's 103-point regular-season showing won't be easy, they have the talent required to be the last team standing come June. Aside from its two superstars in McDavid and Draisaitl, Edmonton boasts a deep lineup that includes the likes of Milan Lucic, Ryan Strome, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Factor in that Cam Talbot solidified himself as a bona fide No. 1 netminder last campaign, and the Oilers have become a legitimate Cup threat.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

McLaren: A few years ago, the Lightning looked like a potential dynasty in the making.

In 2015, they pushed the Chicago Blackhawks to six games in an eventual Stanley Cup Final loss. The next year, they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final by a single goal and then watched as Pittsburgh won its first of two straight championships.

Last season's campaign was interrupted early and often by injuries - most notably a season-ender suffered by Stamkos in November - and still they only missed the playoffs by a single point.

But lest we think their window is closed, consider the emergence of Kucherov in Stamkos' absence, the growth of Victor Hedman into a Norris contender, the rise of Andrei Vasilevskiy to the ranks of elite netminders, and a roster that is as deep and talented at both ends of the ice as any other.

Finally, Lightning will strike.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

O'Leary: The Lightning have every piece they need to avenge last season's wasted opportunity.

Kucherov has become one of the premier scorers in the league, Hedman has become become the dominant defender he was expected to be as a prospect, Vasilevskiy finally has the net to himself, and most importantly, Stamkos is healthy.

After they capture the Atlantic Division title and work their way through the Eastern Conference bracket, the Lightning - rich in playoff experience - will meet McDavid and the Oilers in the best final in recent memory. Tampa won't let another chance at glory slip away.

Wegman: The Leafs have more depth up front than any team in the NHL. They have a 20-goal scorer in Connor Brown on their fourth line. Don't anticipate any sort of sophomore slump from superstars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, or William Nylander - expect them to grow.

Questions remain on the back end, but Jake Gardiner is one of the game's best puck-movers, Morgan Rielly looks poised to take a huge step this season, and Nikita Zaitsev should make strides in his second year.

The addition of Ron Hainsey gives them a stable, veteran presence. However, the biggest surprise on the blue line will be Travis Dermott. The calm and cool 20-year-old may not make the team out of camp, but when he get's his call, he will prove to be mature beyond his years.

Frederik Andersen isn't an elite netminder, but Chris Osgood and Antti Niemi have shown teams don't need an elite goaltender to win the Cup. Andersen is, however, capable of standing on his head when needed.

To round it out, the Leafs have the league's best motivator behind the bench in Mike Babcock. He will assure that this young team never gets too far ahead of itself, and that it continues to buy into whatever he's preaching.

Wilkins: Steve Yzerman has constructed arguably the NHL's deepest roster, with no weaknesses throughout the lineup. That's why the Lightning will win the Stanley Cup in 2018.

While they didn't qualify for last year's postseason, no team was hampered by injuries quite like they were. Stamkos was limited to just 17 games after suffering a torn meniscus in November. Key contributors like Tyler Johnson, Ryan Callahan, and the since-traded Valtteri Filppula also missed time due to the injury bug.

But with a healthy Stamkos in tow, continued progression of the team's young players, like Brayden Point, and valuable contributions from summer additions, including four-time Cup champion Chris Kunitz, the Lightning are ready to deliver.

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Alex DeBrincat is doing his part.

The 19-year-old forward is making a strong bid to crack the Chicago Blackhawks' opening night lineup, an effort boosted by a highlight-reel goal scored Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

He's certainly impressing head coach Joel Quenneville.

"You have to like how he plays," Quenneville said after the 4-2 preseason win, per Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Tribune. "He’s gotten better every single game, and his presence with the puck, patience, and play recognition is high-end. It’s been a good progression for him in this preseason. A lot of guys have had some good camps, but he’s certainly had a good one."

For his part, DeBrincat - who checks in at 5-foot-7 - is making the most of a top-six opportunity alongside Patrick Kane and Nick Schmaltz.

"I’m giving it my all out here and I’m trying to show them I’m ready," DeBrincat said. "But it’s kind of up to them. They have a plan for me."

DeBrincat, who was drafted 39th overall in 2016, is eligible to be assigned to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs because he was born in late 1997. The Blackhawks may ultimately decide he needs some time to develop down in the minors, but his exhibition play is proving hard to ignore.

DeBrincat scored 65 goals and recorded 127 in 63 games for the OHL's Erie Otters last season and clearly has nothing left to prove at the junior level.

Whether he can help replace some of the offense lost with the trading away of Artemi Panarin remains to be seen, but don't bet against it.

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If you build it, they will come.

On Thursday night T-Mobile Arena was graced by the man who inspired the Vegas hockey club's moniker, the Golden Knight.

OK, not really, but nevertheless, this man's outfit - which was spotted during the club's preseaosn tilt against the Colorado Avalanche - is fantastic.

If the Golden Knights are still looking for a mascot, they may have just found him.

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