The Vancouver Canucks and president of hockey operations Trevor Linden have agreed to part ways, the team announced Wednesday.
Linden is leaving the organization to "pursue different endeavors" after spending the last four years as the team's president of hockey operations, according to the release.
Canucks Sports and Entertainment chairman Francesco Aquilini says general manager Jim Benning will head the hockey operations department and report directly to ownership, according to Sportsnet's Irfaan Gaffar.
Linden issued the following message:
Good afternoon, This is a difficult day, as I am writing to let you know that I am leaving my role as President of Hockey Operations for the Vancouver Canucks...
This team and this game hold a special place in my life and I leave very optimistic about the direction the Canucks are headed.
Most of all I am excited about the highly skilled group of prospects and young stars that we have assembled. From ownership to hockey and business operations, the club is as strong as its been in years. Above it all, I can feel our fans' sense of hope again and I know the future for the Canucks is very bright.
I love this city and this province, and I will always have a special relationship with this team and Canucks fans. I am going to step back from the spotlight for a while and enjoy the summer with my young family.
Thank you all for your amazing support. I am sure I will see you around town.
Trevor
Since joining the team's front office in April of 2014, the Canucks have drafted some promising players in Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, Olli Juolevi, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes, but the on-ice product has been lackluster. The team has made the playoffs just once during that stretch, finishing last or second-last in the Pacific Division the other three seasons.
Linden is one of the most storied players in team history, playing in 1,140 games with the Canucks while registering 733 points.
The 24-year-old appeared in 60 games in his first full NHL season, recording eight points and finishing second in hits among Panthers defensemen.
"We are pleased to have agreed to terms with MacKenzie," said general manager Dale Tallon. "He is a versatile, young two-way defender who made big strides in his development during his rookie season."
The 6-feet tall, 212-pound blue-liner was selected by Florida in the seventh round of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Zucker and the Wild were able to agree to the new contract three days before both sides were scheduled to go to arbitration.
The 26-year-old is coming off his fourth full season with the Wild which saw him hit career highs in both goals (33) and points (64). He also led the team with seven game-winning goals and 17 multi-point games.
With Zucker under contract, the Wild now have their full 23-man roster solidified for next season with just $1.7 million in cap space remaining.
The NHL has implemented a new division-based All-Star Game format and re-ignited the World Cup of Hockey to showcase the world's best players in recent years. But what if the league tried something new?
Here, we're going to try a fresh spin, eliminating international and team allegiances to focus on one thing: age. In this hypothetical, the world's best players have been divided into four groups.
The teams involved are: The entry-level contracts, players 25 and under, players aged 26-29, and finally, players 30-plus years old. While examples like Connor McDavid could fit in the ELC age bracket, all players were designated based on their contract statuses heading into the 2018-19 season, which bumps the Edmonton Oilers captain up a tier due to his mega extension kicking in.
Injuries weren't factored into this exercise, and neither was the pesky salary cap.
The ELCs have a strong forward group, spearheaded by two elite finishers in Auston Matthews and Brock Boeser. Kyle Connor and Patrick Laine have some familiarity on line two, while the bottom six features plenty of speed and skill.
On the blue line, the ELCs have an inexperienced but promising core of defenders. However, Charlie McAvoy has the only right-handed shot of the bunch, which could lead to some problems. In goal, the ELCs will need one of the two top-tier prospects to play out of their minds to have any real chance of competing.
The 25-and-under team has some serious firepower up front, as the top line alone combined for 305 points in 2017-18. Down the lineup, a strong group of centers surrounded by highly talented wingers makes this squad dangerous no matter who's on the ice. Both Nathan MacKinnon and Sean Monahan were shifted to the wing from their natural center position. Based on this team's supporting cast, that should have a minimal impact on their production.
On defense, the 25-and-under team has a remarkable blend of size, mobility, and puck-moving skills. All six defensemen are capable of logging big minutes, and they can contribute at either end of the ice, making life easier for a pair of all-star netminders.
On the first line, there are a pair of MVPs centered by a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner. Next, a powerhouse Russian trio that wreaked havoc on the opposition as teammates at the 2011 world juniors, followed by a bottom six consisting of players cemented in high-minute roles on their NHL clubs.
If the forward corps isn't imposing enough, just take a look at the blue line. Is it even possible to assemble a better group of six defenders?
To top it off, Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, anchors the crease, barely sneaking under the team's cutline while set to turn 30 in September.
The eldest team of the group is filled with champions and future Hall of Famers. Taking them down would be a tall task for any squad. Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron displayed magic chemistry at the World Cup in 2016, with the three finishing atop the tournament's scoring leaderboard.
Behind them, the roster features six players in the top 11 of last season's scoring race, and the team benefits from some familiarity between its Capitals and Penguins superstars.
If there's a weakness for this group, it's a lack of mobility on the blue line. But you can count on that unit to understand positioning and make the right play more often than not.
(Photos Courtesy: Getty Images) (Salary cap info courtesy: CapFriendly)
Kulak's hearing was on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who reported the 24-year-old was seeking $1.15 million per season, while the club was offering a two-way contract worth $650,000 at the NHL level.
In 2017-18, Kulak appeared in 71 games for the Flames, recording eight points in just under 13 minutes per contest.
In light of Jarome Iginla's retirement announcement, it's only fitting to reflect on the top moments from his legendary career.
Iginla was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995, but was traded to the Calgary Flames before ever suiting up in the NHL. The Alberta native spent 16 seasons in Calgary before stops in Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles.
In the end, Iginla suited up in 1,554 games, registering 625 goals and 675 assists while winning two Rocket Richards, the Art Ross, the Lester B. Pearson (now the Ted Lindsay), and two Olympic gold medals.
Undoubtedly, Iginla will end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame as soon as he's eligible, and it's moments like these that defined his remarkable tenure in the NHL.
Ousting the Canucks in Game 7
In Round 1 of Calgary's memorable 2004 playoff run, a tooth-and-nail battle led to Game 7 versus the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames captain rose to the occasion, burying two goals before assisting the clinching goal in overtime to send his team through.
A heroic Game 5
After the Canucks, Calgary improbably eliminated the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, the two top seeds in the Western Conference. Iggy and the Flames then met the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.
Deadlocked at two games apiece, Iginla took over in Game 5, ripping the go-ahead goal off the post and past Nikolai Khabibulin in the second period. He went on to cement his signature performance with a helmetless rampage during a near two-minute shift in overtime, ultimately setting up Oleg Saprykin's game-winner to bring the Flames one win shy of a championship. He finished the 2004 playoffs with 22 points in 26 games.
Point No. 1,000
Would you expect Iginla to score his 1,000th point any other way? His patented leg kick and laser beam of a wrist shot terrorized opposing goalies throughout his entire career.
600-goal club
It wasn't his prettiest highlight, but Iginla became the 19th player to join the illustrious 600-goal club in January 2016. As it stands now, he's tied with Joe Sakic for 15th all time on the NHL's goal list.
Setting up the Golden Goal
The sound bite is permanently etched into the minds of Canadian hockey fans: "Iggy!"
Of course, it was Sidney Crosby who shouted it right before Iginla set him up for the unforgettable goal, which clinched 2010 Olympic gold for Canada on home ice.
Iginla had a knack for stepping up for his country on the biggest stage, as he also potted two goals and an assist in the deciding game of the 2002 Olympics.
Bonus: Fighting Lecavalier
As prolific of a scorer he was, Iginla was also as tough as they come. His fight versus fellow superstar Vincent Lecavalier in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final embodied everything that he was capable of and instantly created an all-time moment.
"We're pleased to sign Jake to an extension," general manager Jim Benning said in a release. "He adds physical presence and speed to our lineup and can help create offensive chances when going hard to the net. We look forward to seeing Jake take the next step in his game and consistently contribute to the team's success."
The 21-year-old receives a slight cut following his previous three-year, $5.325-million contract that carried an annual average of $1.775 million per season.
Virtanen - who was drafted by the Canucks sixth overall in 2014 - played his first full season with the club this past season, posting 10 goals and 10 assists in 75 games.
The 6-foot-1, 196-pound center skated in 81 games with the Stars last season, recording a career-high 19 goals and 34 points. Janmark missed the 2016-17 campaign due to a knee injury after tallying 29 points in his rookie year.
"Mattias is a strong and versatile player who always makes his presence felt when he is on the ice," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "His intelligence and determination have built the foundation of a tremendous, young player, and we are thrilled to have him returning as a member of the Stars."
The Danderyd, Sweden native was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and was acquired by the Stars in 2015.
A 37-year-old man is facing charges after police say he posed as the owner of the Boston Bruins.
Jeffrey Jacobs, a native of White Plains, N.Y., who lives in Wilton, Conn., is accused of impersonating 78-year-old Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs to get out of paying a tree service company, according to Pat Tomlinson of The Hour.
The owner of the tree company, who told police he's an avid Bruins fan, was called to Jacobs' home during a storm last year after a tree fell on the house. He later sent a bill for $5,100 to Jeremy Jacobs.
Wilton police were made aware of the incident in May 2017 after receiving a call from Delaware North, a hospitality and food service company chaired by the Bruins owner. Jacobs was already known to police, as he allegedly told a similar lie while trying to get out of a traffic ticket.
Jacobs was arrested July 20 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. after police pulled him over for using his phone while driving. He was charged with criminal impersonation and released on $5,000 bond.
The Nashville Predators have added another piece to their already loaded defense corps, signing unrestricted free agent Dan Hamhuis to a two-year, $2.5-million contract on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old joins the Predators after spending the last two seasons with the Dallas Stars. Last season, he put up three goals and 24 points while playing an average of 20:11 a night, the fourth-most minutes on the team.
