Mike Gillis spent six years at the helm of the Vancouver Canucks. Now, the former general manager hopes his next assignment is guiding another Pacific Northwest franchise.

Speaking with TSN 1040 on Wednesday, Gillis expressed interest in becoming the first GM in Seattle - should the city's NHL expansion bid be granted.

"If they flattered me enough by asking if I was interested, I'd be most definitely interested," Gillis told TSN 1040, per Harrison Mooney of the Province. "I'm hopeful to have a discussion with them."

Gillis, who was dismissed by the Canucks in 2014, has since spent two seasons as a director with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss National League.

During his stint in Vancouver, Gillis' squads captured five division titles while also setting franchise highs in wins and points. It culminated with a trip to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

As for Seattle, the city could officially be awarded a franchise at December's board of governors meeting.

Former Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett, who is an advisor to Seattle's hopeful ownership group, has indicated the GM search will begin in the spring.

"(The) general manager I think is somebody who has done that job at the NHL level before," Tippett said in September. "I really think that's important in an expansion team."

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Philadelphia Flyers sophomore Nolan Patrick will be out of action for seven-to-10 days due to an upper-body injury, general manager Ron Hextall announced Thursday.

Patrick was injured in Wednesday's win over the Ottawa Senators. He left the contest after playing just 3:30 and was unable to return. He joins winger James van Riemsdyk, who was recently ruled out for five-to-six weeks, on the shelf as the Flyers' forward corps has been bitten early by injuries.

The 2017 second-overall pick recorded 30 points in his rookie season but hasn't found the scoresheet in four games to open the new campaign.

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It doesn't appear Matt Murray will miss significant time after being diagnosed with a concussion Tuesday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins netminder was back on the ice Thursday, and while he won't be between the pipes for Thursday night's game against the Vegas Golden Knights, he's listed as day to day, head coach Mike Sullivan said after the morning skate.

Meanwhile, Murray appears to be in good spirits and says he still needs to get assurance from doctors before returning to game action.

"I still need to talk to the doctors, but I felt good out there," Murray said. "I wear the best helmet you can get. It's a fast game and sometimes things happen."

Following Thursday's contest, the Penguins will be in action Saturday when they clash with the Montreal Canadiens.

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What was always inevitable is now official: Henrik and Daniel Sedin will have their jerseys retired by the Vancouver Canucks next season, owner Francesco Aquilini said, according to Sportsnet's Irfaan Gaffar.

The decision to wait until next year coincides with the team's 50th anniversary season.

Henrik, who wore No. 33, and Daniel, who donned No. 22, retired at the end of last season. Their names are littered all over the franchise's record books; Henrik and Daniel rank first and second, respectively, in games played and points.

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Warning: Story contains course language

Fresh off a four-point performance in a Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Vegas Golden Knights, Evgeny Kuznetsov wasn't going to waste his time with player rankings.

After his dominant effort, which featured one goal and three primary helpers, Kuznetsov was asked if he's ever considered himself a top-five player in today's NHL.

"No, no. I don't give a shit about that," he said, per Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.

While he can't be bothered with his place among the league's best, Kuzentsov's recently built a compelling case to put his name in the conversation he doesn't want to have. After recording a career-high 83 points in the 2017-18 regular season, the Capitals top center went on to lead all players in postseason scoring with 32 points in 24 games as Washington captured its first championship in franchise history.

The 26-year-old's follow-up act is off to a grand start, too, notching seven points in the first three games.

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The Anaheim Ducks got a big boost on Wednesday night when Ryan Kesler was cleared to play against the Arizona Coyotes.

Kesler missed the Ducks' first three regular-season games while dealing with his bothersome hip, which required surgery in June 2017.

He was cleared for contact in September but didn't receive medical clearance to play in a game until Wednesday.

The 34-year-old missed essentially the first half of the 2017-18 season with the injury, returning in late December and producing 14 points in 44 contests before suiting up in all four of Anaheim's playoff games.

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Vegas Golden Knights forward Paul Stastny will miss at least the next three games due to a lower-body injury, head coach Gerard Gallant said Wednesday, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.

Stastny will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Vegas at the conclusion of its five-game road trip that wraps up Saturday in Philadelphia.

While the team didn't disclose how the injury occurred, it's expected it came during a collision in the final minutes of the club's 4-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

Stastny has gone pointless in his first three games as a member of the Golden Knights.

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The New York Rangers' highest-paid defenseman is expected to take in Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks from the press box.

After watching his team start the season with three straight losses, rookie head coach David Quinn will shake up his lineup, and it's expected defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk will be a healthy scratch, according to Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post.

The 29-year-old, who's making $8 million this season, said he understands the decision even if he isn't happy about it.

"You have to learn from it, obviously. I'm not a guy that would take that the wrong way and mope about it," Shattenkirk said. "It's the NHL; if you're not playing well, there are guys that are playing well. Tony DeAngelo played a phenomenal game the (Sunday) night (in Carolina). He's earned a spot on the roster. I think all the 'D' have earned a spot on the roster, and I'm probably the guy that needs to fight a little bit harder to get my spot back. It's on me, for sure.

"I know that it's a process, but this is probably a good little kick to get me going and get me out of this - I don't want to say slump - but just get my confidence back and start playing the game I know I have."

After playing 20:41 in the club's season opener against the Nashville Predators and then 22:23 against the Buffalo Sabres, Shattenkirk had his minutes slashed in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, playing just 7:29. Through the first three games, Shattenkirk has gone pointless and is a minus-4.

Last season, Shattenkirk suffered a torn meniscus in training camp and was subsequently limited to just 46 games in his first year with the Rangers. It's an injury Quinn feels Shattenkirk is still dealing with.

"He and I have talked about playing with more urgency, and I think he's still a little bit hesitant because of what happened last year. He's got to get his confidence back. He's going to have every chance to get his confidence back. This is a process. This isn't a punishment."

The Rangers are one of three teams yet to record a single point on the season.

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