Nazem Kadri first donned a Maple Leafs jersey on a stage at the Bell Centre in Montreal when he was drafted seventh overall by the club in 2009. Now, almost a decade later, John Tavares - his friend, former London Knights teammate, and longtime Leafs fan - will be joining Kadri in Toronto.

Kadri was drafted at one of the lowest points in the Maple Leafs' illustrious history. The team failed to reach the postseason in seven consecutive seasons from 2005-12. Finally cracking the playoff picture in 2012-13, Toronto suffered the most heartbreaking of exits in an epic Game 7 collapse against the Boston Bruins in the first round. The Leafs didn't return to the playoffs again for another four years.

Over the past nine seasons, Kadri, the longest-serving current Leaf, has witnessed restructuring and a total rebuild within the Maple Leafs organization, which he says helped land the biggest free agent in recent history.

"I don't think a player like (Tavares) would have wanted to sign in Toronto eight, nine years ago," Kadri said to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "That's the culture we have been trying to rebuild, is trying to acquire those free agents and try to make Toronto a destination where players want to come and win. Johnny realized something special we had here and I think he made the right choice."

The buzz of adding one of the league's top centers brought restored faith to an organization that spent years trying to become a consistent Stanley Cup contender. Even though the addition of Tavares knocks Kadri down to a third-line role, his focus remains on bringing a championship to Toronto.

"You know what, winning is the most important to me." Kadri shared. "I don't care where I play, I don't care what role I play."

Few teams will be able to match Toronto's depth at center this upcoming season, sporting a trio threatening enough that Vegas oddsmakers favor the Leafs for the 2019 Stanley Cup.

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Cory Schneider continues to recover from offseason hip surgery, and there are no assurances he'll be ready to go when the season kicks off in October.

The New Jersey Devils netminder underwent hip surgery in early May and was given a five-month recovery period, meaning his return to the ice will cut it close with the start of the regular-season schedule.

The Devils' first game comes Oct. 6 against the Edmonton Oilers, but it will be hosted in Sweden as part of the NHL Global Series.

"Whether it's September or October, we are not going to rush Cory," Devils general manager Ray Shero told Mike Morreale of NHL.com. "We have Keith Kinkaid, and that's why we re-signed Eddie Lack.

"(Schneider) played through (the injury), but at the end of the year it was something he had to have done. Unfortunately, it's a common injury with goalies nowadays. It was affecting other parts of his game. Hopefully everything is taken care of and put in the rearview mirror when he does return."

A nagging groin injury - coupled with impressive play from backup Kinkaid - limited Schneider to just 40 appearances last season, in which he posted a 17-16-6 showing and a .907 save percentage.

Kinkaid then got the start in the postseason against the Tampa Bay Lightning before Schneider stepped in for Game 2. In the playoffs, Schneider's play was much more formidable, as he finished with a 1.78 goals-against average and an incredible .950 save rate across four games.

Schneider, 32, is signed through the next four seasons at a $6-million cap hit.

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The Winnipeg Jets have solidified the blue paint.

The club signed goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to a new six-year, $37-million contract, the team announced Thursday.

Hellebuyck is coming off a breakout season in which he went 44-11-9 with a .924 save percentage, a 2.36 goals-against average, and six shutouts. He showed incredible durability during his first full year as a No. 1, as he played more minutes than any other netminder. His efforts were good enough to finish second in Vezina Trophy voting.

At 25 years old, this contract will carry Hellebuyck right through the prime of his career at a reasonable salary, considering he'll only be the NHL's sixth-highest paid goalie next season.

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The Montreal Canadiens have invited veteran defenseman Simon Despres to training camp on a professional tryout, the team announced Thursday.

The 26-year-old spent last season with the KHL's Bratislava Slovan, netting four goals and seven assists in 44 games. He last appeared in the NHL in 2016-17 with the Anaheim Ducks but was limited to just one game due to concussion symptoms.

The Ducks bought out the final three years of Despres' contract in June 2017.

A native of Laval, Quebec, Despres was selected in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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OAKVILLE, Ont. — Taylor Hall finally got a taste. Now he wants the full course.

This spring, the eventual MVP winner and his 93 points dragged the New Jersey Devils into the NHL playoffs for the first time in five years. The experience lasted just five games, however, as the Devils were bounced by the Tampa Bay Lightning in unceremonious fashion.

Following seven playoff-free seasons with both the Edmonton Oilers and the Devils, Hall finds himself in unfamiliar territory. He's happy in red and black, but hungry for more.

"Definitely a successful season, but at the same time I watched playoff hockey for a month and a half before the Cup was handed out," Hall said Wednesday before teeing off at the NHLPA’s annual charity golf tournament. "We're a long way from where we want to be, but I think it was a great first step."

Despite the playoff berth, the Devils have been quiet this summer. General manager Ray Shero hasn’t acquired anybody of significance via free agency or trade; he also let a number of veteran players walk, with forwards Brian Gibbons (Anaheim), Michael Grabner (Arizona), and Patrick Maroon (St. Louis), as well as defenseman John Moore (Boston), all signing elsewhere.

"We’re going to have to find a way to make up for that," the 26-year-old said. "Those are guys that played key roles on our team, whether they were (picked up) at the trade deadline or just guys who came into (training) camp and surprised and made a huge difference for us."

Hall, whose 26-game point streak, career-high 39 goals, and 1.2 points per game helped him claim the 2018 Hart Trophy, laughed when he was asked about the potential of Shero using the club's salary cap space ($23 million in 2018-19) to add talent sooner than later.

"I just sit here like you guys …" he told a scrum of reporters. "I’d love to see us add a couple more pieces, but at the end of the day that’s not my job. My job’s to come into camp as healthy as possible, as committed as possible, and just worry about that."

While the Devils' depth chart remains unfilled, the team has Nico Hischier, the 2017 first-overall pick. Hall lauded the Swiss centre at the NHL awards, and heaped more praise onto him on Wednesday.

"If he was playing in Toronto, or a big market that would have a lot more spotlight, I think that he’d have a bigger name, a lot more recognition, certainly a lot more Calder votes than he had," Hall said of Hischier, who finished seventh in rookie-of-the-year voting.

"He had 50 points (52) as a centerman as an 18-year-old and, us playing on a line together, we played the top lines each and every night. I'm proud to be his teammate, I'm proud to be on a line with him, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the evolution of him, how he can improve next year."

The Devils vastly improved in 2017-18. Playing a speed game under coach John Hynes, they jumped from a winning percentage of .427 in 2016-17 to .591. It's an appetizing start, a jolt to the franchise's internal and external expectations.

"It's hard to get out of the basement. It's hard to get out of the basement and make the playoffs," Hall said, emphasizing the leap. "Now, I think the hardest step is going from making the playoffs to being a team that can challenge for the Cup. I'm really looking forward to trying to do that."

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The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Anthony Mantha to a two-year extension, the team announced Wednesday.

More to come.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Frederik Gauthier to a two-year, two-way contract with an annual salary of $675,000, the team announced Wednesday.

Last year with the Toronto Marlies, Gauthier netted 18 points in 57 games, adding another eight during their playoff run in which they were crowned Calder Cup champions for the first time. The Quebec native has laced up for the Leafs 37 times since being drafted 21st overall by the club in 2013.

The Leafs' newly appointed general manager, Kyle Dubas, is no stranger to the 6-foot-5, 232-pound center. The two spent the past three seasons together with the Marlies before Dubas was promoted to his new role in May.

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Sports fans grow up dreaming of playing for their hometown team, and for Patrick Maroon, that dream is now a reality.

Maroon grew up in Oakville, Miss. - about 20 mins from St. Louis - and signed a one-year, $1.75-million contract with the Blues on Tuesday.

"I'm really excited. It's going to be a really good year. It's going to be a fun year," Maroon told NHL.com's Lou Korac. "I'm excited to be a Bluenote. I've dreamed of putting that jersey on. That decision was easy knowing what the roster looked like.

"I'm so happy to be coming home."

St. Louis is more than just Maroon's own hometown, as it's also the home of his son, who will likely get to see more precious moments such as this one back in 2016.

Providing further evidence that playing at home was a top priority, Maroon was offered more money to return to the New Jersey Devils, the club's general manager Ray Shero told The Athletic's Corey Masisak.

Home sweet home.

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