One of the NHL's most contentious rules will be slightly different moving forward.
While the league announced its critical dates and health and safety protocols for the upcoming season, it also revealed there will be a change to the offside rule.
Beginning in 2020-21, a player's skate will not need to be in contact with the blue line in order to be onside.
"A player is onside when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line," the NHLPA said.
It continues, "If a player's skate has yet to break the 'plane' prior to the puck crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be onside for the purpose of the offside rule."
UPDATE TO @NHL RULE 83.1 (OFF-SIDE): Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player's skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line in order to be on-side.
The offside rule has faced scrutiny over the past several years, especially with the recent introduction of coaching challenges and advanced video reviews.
Cernak's new pact is for three years with an average annual value of $2.95 million, while Rutta's is for two years with an AAV of $1.3 million.
Cernak was a restricted free agent, and with him now signed, the only player left in need of a contract is forward Anthony Cirelli. The 23-year-old Cernak isn't known as an offensive contributor but played key minutes on Tampa's back end during its Stanley Cup run this past summer.
Rutta signed a one-year, $1.3-million contract with the Lightning prior to last season and was unrestricted on the open market.
The Devils chose Prudential, while the Capitals' lids will feature ads for Capital One. The companies hold the sponsorship rights to the respective teams' arenas.
Here are the Devils' new helmet ads:
We're proud to be the first @NHL club to have brand placement on our helmets.
The Washington Capitals have announced Capital One as the team’s season-long official helmet entitlement partner with the placement of the company’s branding on the team’s helmet.
Engelland joined Vegas for its inaugural campaign in 2017, and he signed one-year contracts to remain with the club in each of last two offseasons.
"Deryk Engelland epitomizes what it means to be a Golden Knight. A no-ego, selfless, hardworking player who has an unwavering commitment to protecting those who are unable to protect themselves," owner Bill Foley said.
The New Jersey Devils selected Engelland during the sixth round in the 2000 draft, and he didn't earn an NHL job until 2009-10 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent five seasons in Pittsburgh before joining the Calgary Flames.
The 38-year-old appeared in 671 NHL games, notching 127 points.
"His agent, Rick Valette, and I had many conversations during the two weeks around free agency in October," Oilers general manager Ken Holland told Ryan Frankson of the team's website. "But the marketplace has changed so much that basically our conversations have ended, and I would hope at some point once we get up and running we can pick back up and see if we can find a solution to keep Nuge in an Oilers uniform. Certainly that's my goal, but the deal's got to work for both Ryan and the Oilers."
It was reported in October that Nugent-Hopkins and the Oilers were making progress on a long-term extension.
"Obviously a weird, different time to be talking contracts," Nugent-Hopkins said. "Right now I'm just focused on getting the season started. In my mind, I know it's there, but I'm going to put it on the back burner and just really focus on getting the season going and getting started the right way."
Nugent-Hopkins is entering the final season of a seven-year pact through which he earns $6 million per campaign. The 27-year-old collected 61 points in 65 games last season, the highest point-per-game rate of his career.
The Oilers are projected to have over $28 million in available money for the 2021-22 campaign, according to Cap Friendly. However, the club has only 11 players signed through next season.
In the lead-up to the 2021 World Junior Championship, we're taking a look back at each of the 18 Canadian teams to capture the gold medal, culminating Dec. 25 with the start of the latest edition of the tournament.
The pressure Team Canada faced entering the 2009 world juniors was immeasurable. Not only did the country win four consecutive gold medals leading up to the event, but the games took place on home ice in Ottawa, the nation's capital, this time around.
As if the pressure entering the tourney wasn't enough, the 2009 world juniors showed how hungry Canadians were to see their team win another gold. The tournament holds the record for total attendance, with 453,282 spectators attending games.
The roster
Player
Position
Age
Jamie Benn
F
18
Zach Boychuk*
F
19
Patrice Cormier
F
18
Stefan Della Rovere
F
18
Chris DiDomenico
F
19
Jordan Eberle
F
18
Tyler Ennis
F
19
Angelo Esposito
F
19
Cody Hodgson
F
18
Evander Kane
F
17
Brett Sonne
F
19
John Tavares*
F
18
Keith Aulie
D
19
Ryan Ellis
D
17
Cody Goloubef
D
19
Thomas Hickey*
D
19
Tyler Myers
D
18
Alex Pietrangelo
D
18
P.K. Subban*
D
19
Colten Teubert
D
18
Chet Pickard
G
19
Dustin Tokarski
G
19
*Denotes returning player All ages are as of the start of the tournament
The tournament
Canada won all four of its preliminary-round games with ease, scoring 35 goals while allowing just six against. The contests included a 15-0 drudging against Kazakhstan and an emphatic 7-4 victory over the U.S. Pickard and Tokarski split the games at two apiece.
Canada advanced directly to the semifinals after finishing first in the preliminary round and took on Russia. Thanks to Eberle's late-game heroics, Canada managed to win in a shootout.
The Canadians faced a tough Swedish squad that included future stars Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, and Jacob Markstrom in the final. Sweden put up a good fight, outshooting Canada 40-31, but Tokarski shut the door and helped guide his team to a lopsided 5-1 victory and the country's fifth consecutive gold medal.
The stars
Hodgson led the team and tournament with 16 points in six games, including two goals and an assist in the gold-medal matchup.
Tavares was named tournament MVP after leading his squad with eight goals. Tavares, Hodgson, and Subban were picked for the world junior All-Star team.
The key moment
Every contest Canada played during the tournament was nearly a blowout except for its semifinal matchup against Russia. The two sides traded goals all game long, but it seemed as though Canada was on its way out after Russia scored to go up 4-3 with just over two minutes left in the third period.
With time winding down and hope fading, Eberle scored one of the country's most dramatic goals of all time. Team Canada was putting on a ton of pressure with Tokarski pulled, and Eberle miraculously swatted the puck into the net with five seconds left. The game eventually went to a shootout, where Eberle and Tavares scored, while Tokarski shut the door on both Russian shooters to send Canada to the gold-medal game.
The fallout
The team featured a number of future NHL stars, including Benn, Pietrangelo, Ellis, Kane, Subban, Tavares, and Eberle. Some of them showed flashes of brilliance at the world juniors, but others flew under the radar, like Pietrangelo, who managed just three points in six games.
Hodgson never fully found his footing in the NHL despite shining in the tournament. He went on to play in 328 career NHL games, racking up 142 points. He hasn't suited up in the league since the 2015-16 season.
The 2009 world juniors marked Canada's fifth-straight gold medal, but it would also be the beginning of a long drought for the country as its next gold wouldn't come until 2015.
Klefbom is dealing with a lingering shoulder injury that he's had surgery for multiple times during his career. Holland said in November it would be a "pleasant surprise" if the 27-year-old is available this season.
The NHL and NHLPA recently agreed on a 56-game schedule set to begin on Jan. 13.
Klefbom has spent seven seasons with the Oilers since being drafted 19th overall in 2011. He's one of Edmonton's top defensemen and registered 34 points in 62 games last season while averaging over 25 minutes per night.
The Oilers brought in Tyson Barrie this offseason to help make up for Klefbom's absence both at even strength and on the power play.