The Minnesota Wild have named Dean Evason as the fifth full-time head coach in franchise history, the team announced Monday.

Evason also signed a two-year extension with the franchise through the 2021-22 season.

The 55-year-old assumed head coaching duties in an interim capacity this season after Minnesota fired former bench boss Bruce Boudreau in February. Evason led the Wild to an 8-4-0 record before the league halted play on March 12.

"Dean has done a fantastic job as our interim head coach and deserves this opportunity," general manager Bill Guerin said. "I look forward to watching our team under his leadership going forward."

Evason is in his second season with Minnesota after joining the team as an assistant coach in June 2018. He previously spent six years as head coach of the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals (2012-18) and also served as an assistant with the Washington Capitals from 2005-12.

The Wild open training camp Monday under Phase 3 of the NHL's return-to-play protocol. Minnesota is set to play the Vancouver Canucks in a best-of-five play-in series once the qualifying round of the 24-team playoff (Phase 4) begins Aug. 1.

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Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Romanov will join the club for training camp once his mandatory quarantine ends following his flight from Russia, the team announced Sunday.

Romanov, who is likely to sign, will not be eligible to play in the postseason but can travel to Toronto with his teammates once Phase 4 begins, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

The move would burn the first year of Romanov's entry-level contract, Engels adds.

Montreal and Romanov agreed to a three-year contract in May, but no start date for the deal was determined due to the uncertainty surrounding the NHL season at the time.

Romanov was drafted 38th overall in 2018 and is widely considered one of the world's top defensive prospects. He registered seven points in 43 games with CSKA Moscow of the KHL this past season and was a part of the media All-Star team at the 2020 world juniors.

The Canadiens are scheduled to begin their play-in series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins on Aug. 1.

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In an effort to replicate an authentic playoff atmosphere, teams involved in the NHL's expanded postseason have begun emailing season-ticket holders, asking them to record 30-second video clips cheering for their favorite clubs and players, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

The clips will be used during games inside empty arenas in Toronto and Edmonton, as well as on broadcasts and social media networks. Emails to fans include specific guidelines on proper ways to film, and how to avoid potential copyright violations, Wyshynski adds.

Teams that have begun contacting their fans include the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, and Winnipeg Jets. Each group of fans received requests for generic "We Want The Cup!" chants, along with clapping "Let's Go!" cheers.

"For this, for the first three seconds, you should pretend that you are anticipating the goal, and then explode into your celebration," the instructions read, according to Wyshynski.

Fans were also asked to provide audio of specific cheers for players on their teams. For example, Bruins fans were asked to chant "Tuukk!" as TD Garden normally does after goaltender Tuukka Rask makes a save.

Other team-specific cheers include Rangers fans shouting "Bread-Man!" in support of winger Artemi Panarin, and Blackhawks fans providing 30 seconds of a "slow clap" along with "30 seconds of how you act/cheer during the national anthem at a home game."

The NHL is set to begin Phase 3 (training camps) of its restart plan Monday with Phase 4 (playoffs) slated to start Aug. 1 in Toronto and Edmonton.

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At least three Montreal Canadiens players have recently tested positive for COVID-19, sources told The Athletic's Arpon Basu.

Player names are unable to be disclosed due to the NHL's policy regarding COVID-19 disclosure, Basu adds.

More to come.

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Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has been deemed fit to play and will join the club at training camp on Monday, general manager Kyle Dubas announced Sunday, per TSN's Mark Masters.

Matthews, 22, reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus in May and subsequently went into quarantine at his home in Arizona.

The 6-foot-3 pivot racked up a career-best 47 goals and 80 points over 70 games during the shortened 2019-20 season, leading the club in both of those categories. Matthews was scoring at a 55-goal pace over 82 games, which would have set a single-season franchise record.

Teams will report to training camp Monday for Phase 3 of the NHL's return-to-play plan before traveling to their respective hub cities July 26. The qualifying round gets underway Aug.1. The Maple Leafs will meet the Columbus Blue Jackets in their best-of-five play-in series.

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With Olympic participation included in the NHL and NHLPA's modified collective bargaining agreement, it's time for hockey fans to begin to think about what the tournament may look like. This edition takes a look at Team Russia.

Loaded with tantalizing skill and elite offensive acumen, Team Russia is in the running to repeat as Olympic gold medalists after winning the event in 2018. But with NHL players competing in 2022, will Russia's roster be strong enough to defend its crown?

Others in this series:
Canada
USA
Sweden
Finland

Russia

Head coach: Valeri Bragin

Bragin will likely get his first Olympic opportunity in Beijing in 2022. The longtime world junior coach was named Team Russia's bench boss in June and will be at the helm for the 2021 world championships. In eight years under Bragin's leadership, Russia's U20 team won seven medals, including gold in 2011.

Forwards

(All ages as of February 2022)

Extras: Kirill Kaprizov (24), Pavel Buchnevich (26)

Boasting some of the NHL's most dangerous scorers, the Russians shouldn't have any trouble finding the back of the net. The combination of world-class snipers like Ovechkin and Tarasenko, along with playmakers of Kucherov and Panarin's ilk, present a tall task for opposing defenses, especially with Malkin leading the charge up the middle.

However, that incredible firepower is somewhat mitigated by the nation's lack of depth at center, since Evgeny Kuznetsov received a four-year ban from the IIHF last August for testing positive for cocaine. Namestnikov is the next best option up the middle, while Barbashev is a unique talent who adds an element of grit to Russia's lineup. The 6-foot grinder - who played all three forward positions for the St. Louis Blues this season - is also an effective penalty killer.

Svechnikov could be bumped into the top six, but the four wingers above him aren't likely to regress over the next 19 months. The 6-foot-2 talent led all Carolina Hurricanes forwards in hits this season, and having him form a trio alongside Barbashev and Radulov would establish a pesky checking line with plenty of offensive upside.

Gusev, Shipachyov, and Dadonov spent multiple seasons together as teammates with the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg, with Gusev and Shipachyov ranking second and third in franchise scoring, respectively.

Despite Kaprizov's high potential, it's difficult to project how much the Minnesota Wild prospect will be able to boost his case for a roster spot ahead of the 2022 Olympics.

Just missed the cut: Artem Anisimov, Denis Gurianov, Ilya Mikheyev

Defense

Extra: Dmitry Kulikov (31)

Russia's defensive corps doesn't quite stack up against the other premier nations, and it's severely lacking on the right side. Since Zaitsev is the only right-shot option, two of the club's top four blue-liners will be forced to play on the opposite side.

That being said, Provorov and Sergachev are blossoming into elite-level defensemen. Additionally, the 6-foot-6 Zadorov is a tower of power, and Orlov's veteran presence on the blue line will be invaluable to the club.

Much like Kaprizov, it's difficult to project Romanov's trajectory with him yet to make his NHL debut. The Montreal Canadiens prospect has plenty of potential, though, and Russia's lack of options defensively should grant him the opportunity to make the squad.

Goalies

Extra: Sergei Bobrovsky (33)

Russia will have no shortage of options in net, and with the club lacking defensive depth, this decision will be key in its quest for gold.

Vasilevskiy is currently a no-brainer for the starting gig, although Samsonov turned heads with his strong rookie campaign for the Washington Capitals. Bobrovsky's forgettable debut season with the Florida Panthers is cause for concern, especially considering his age. If Samsonov continues on his current trajectory, Russia would be wise to seriously consider him as its starting netminder.

Then there are the wild cards. Igor Shesterkin was sensational during his 12-game stint with the New York Rangers this season, but the body of work isn't quite there yet. New York Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin has yet to make his North American debut, but he and Shesterkin could both could develop into noteworthy NHL starters over the next 19 months. That would leave Russia with the welcome issue of having too much talent between the pipes.

Just missed the cut: Shesterkin, Semyon Varlamov

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While the recently ratified collective bargaining agreement will allow viewers to sink into a couch and watch five consecutive playoff games - a dream come true for hockey fans - in less than three weeks' time, some modifications are bound to create headaches for the league's general managers.

The most significant obstacle will be the league's salary cap, which will remain stagnant at $81.5 million. That number won't increase until hockey-related revenue reaches $4.8 billion, according to The Athletic's Scott Burnside.

With no guarantee on when fans will be able to attend games again, it's clear that GMs and front offices across the league will need to swiftly adjust their financial plans for the 2020-21 season and beyond.

Let's take a look some perennial playoff threats that stand to be among the most affected by the impending salary squeeze.

(All salary figures courtesy: Cap Friendly)

Tampa Bay Lightning

2020-21 roster size: 15
Projected total salary: $76.166 million

GM Julien BriseBois will almost certainly have to trade a player of significance to make Tampa Bay cap compliant next season. The Lightning have one of the NHL's most powerful rosters, but the downside to icing such a star-laden lineup is the hefty financial commitments. With goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy's $9.5-million average annual value extension kicking in next season, the Bolts will have over half their cap committed to five players: Vasilevskiy, Steven Stamkos ($8.5 million), Nikita Kucherov ($9.5 million), Brayden Point ($6.75 million), and Victor Hedman ($7.875 million).

Those commitments create a ripple effect throughout the roster. The Lightning need to sign two forwards and three defensemen with just over $5 million to work with. Making matters more complicated, budding two-way superstar Anthony Cirelli and dependable top-four blue-liner Mikhail Sergachev are both restricted free agents and due considerable raises from their league-minimum contracts.

The most logical candidate for BriseBois to offload is winger Alex Killorn ($4.45 million AAV until 2023), whose full no-trade clause is reduced to a 16-team list next season. Forwards Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, and Ondrej Palat each make $5 million or more and could fetch decent value on the trade market, but they all own full no-move clauses.

St. Louis Blues

2020-21 roster size: 20
Projected total salary: $79.452 million

The Blues have nearly an entire roster signed for next season, but they haven't locked up the biggest piece of the puzzle. Captain Alex Pietrangelo is an impending unrestricted free agent, and with barely $2 million in available space, the defending Stanley Cup champions will need to do some noteworthy maneuvering to avoid losing their defensive leader.

Pietrangelo, 30, is the top free agent in this year's class. After winning a championship and scoring a career-high 16 goals this past season, he's proven he's worthy of being paid among the league's top rearguards, easily in the range of $8.5 million-to-10 million. In addition to Pietrangelo's new deal, GM Doug Armstrong needs to award a new contract to RFA Vince Dunn, a quality young puck-mover poised to become more involved in the Blues' plans.

How can Armstrong make it work? He could buy out 36-year-old Alex Steen and his $5.75 million AAV, but as The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford notes, the total savings would only equate to about $2.4 million. Goaltender Jake Allen ($4.35 million) is a trade candidate since he makes too much for a backup, but it's unlikely another organization would want to foot the bill for a guy who's struggled to cement himself as a true No. 1 netminder.

Up front, Jaden Schwartz ($5.35 million), Tyler Bozak ($5 million), and David Perron ($4 million) are big-money options to be dealt, but each owns a modified no-trade clause, making an already difficult situation a little trickier.

Toronto Maple Leafs

2020-21 roster size: 16
Projected total salary: $76.908 million

Like their Atlantic Division foes in Tampa Bay, the majority of the Maple Leafs' salary cap is allocated to a group of star players. Auston Matthews ($11.634 million AAV), John Tavares ($11 million), Mitch Marner ($10.893 million), and William Nylander ($6.96 million) occupy half of the entire pie in Toronto, making it difficult for GM Kyle Dubas to avoid eclipsing the league limit while filling out the rest of the roster.

The most important players Dubas will be tasked with re-signing are RFAs Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott, whose new deals won't leave much wiggle room to replace likely departing UFAs Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci on the blue line. Dubas - as he's done throughout his Leafs tenure - could turn to cheap overseas talent in the form of defenseman Mikko Lehtonen. Rookie blue-liners Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren are inexpensive options, too.

One simple trade - moving one of Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5 million), Andreas Johnsson ($3.4 million), or Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2 million) - would likely give the Leafs enough breathing room to ice a competitive roster next season. However, the flat cap will truly start to complicate things for Toronto in 2021-22.

Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen ($5 million) will be a UFA next offseason, as will Zach Hyman ($2.5 million). Also, star defenseman Morgan Rielly ($5 million) will be eligible for an extension. Without a cap increase, Toronto will be stuck with some difficult decisions to make on a collection of players crucial to the team's success.

New York Islanders

2020-21 roster size: 16
Projected total salary: $71.380 million

At first glance, the Islanders hardly seem to be in cap purgatory with just over $10 million in available space. But with RFAs Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock in need of new contracts, it's easy to foresee Lou Lamoriello quickly running out of cap room this offseason.

Barzal's and Pulock's deals alone are almost guaranteed to add up to over $10 million. Barzal is a 23-year-old dynamo who's on track to become New York's highest-paid player. Pulock - who led the Isles in average ice time and was their highest-producing defenseman this past season - is due for a major raise from his $2-million cap hit.

As such, the Islanders may be stuck having to let all their pending UFAs walk. That list of five players most notably includes Derick Brassard, Matt Martin, and backup goaltender Thomas Greiss. But even if Lamoriello doesn't re-sign any of New York's UFAs, he'll still likely be forced into a trade, with either Nick Leddy ($5.5 million) or Thomas Hickey ($2.5 million) being the most logical option to be shipped out.

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