New York Rangers icon Rod Gilbert has died at the age of 80, the team announced Sunday.

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Gilbert - one of the greatest Rangers to ever play for our organization and one of the greatest ambassadors the game of hockey has ever had," said Rangers owner James Dolan.

Gilbert, nicknamed "Mr. Ranger," was one of the most prolific wingers of his era. He's New York's all-time leader in goals (406) and points (1,021). Gilbert suited up on Broadway from 1960-1978 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

His No. 7 was raised to the Madison Square Garden rafters in 1979. Gilbert was the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

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Canada breezed past the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with a 5-1 win Sunday night at the Women's World Hockey Championship.

It marked Canada's second consecutive victory to begin the tournament, having edged Finland 5-3 in a tight contest Friday.

After a scoreless first period, Sarah Fillier scored the first of three Canadian goals in the middle frame. Ella Shelton, Erin Ambrose, Melodie Daoust, and Rebecca Johnston recorded Canada's additional tallies.

Canada thoroughly dominated play, outshooting its opponent 62-7. The ROC's lone goal came with one second remaining in the contest.

Canada returns to action Tuesday against Switzerland in its third of four round-robin games.

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A native of St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, David Savard has already brought the Stanley Cup back to his home province. This time around, he wants to do it as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

"We're going to try to bring it back (to Montreal), that's the plan for next year," Savard said, according to writers at NHL.com. "We're all planning to return to the final and to win it."

Savard was sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a three-way trade involving the Detroit Red Wings days before the deadline. He was a solid stay-at-home defenseman for the Bolts and put up five points in 20 playoff games to help them repeat as champions.

The 30-year-old saw his newest team up close and personal in the finals as the Lightning dispatched the Habs in five games.

"I liked the way the Canadiens played against us in the final. They have several veterans who've already won the Cup," he said. "I'm going to try to bring my own baggage and make it an even better team."

Savard currently lives 20 minutes north of Quebec City in Lac-Beauport and had his day with the Cup on Wednesday. He signed a four-year, $14-million deal with the Canadiens earlier this offseason.

"I'm looking forward to putting on the skates and playing a first game at Bell Centre," he added. "It will be nice to be closer to my family and my friends."

Savard joins other notable newcomers such as Mike Hoffman and Cedric Paquette as the Canadiens hunt for more playoff success.

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Juuse Saros is eager to fill Pekka Rinne's shoes in the Nashville Predators' crease next season.

"I was lucky and grateful for sharing the net with him for four or five years," Saros said, per NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "So, yeah, it was a little bit of a sad moment when he said he's not coming back. Personally, I'm ready to take that next step and be the guy in net, take the lead on the team."

Rinne announced his retirement this offseason after 15 years in Nashville. He's the franchise leader in every major goaltending statistic, and he won the Vezina Trophy in 2018.

Saros, meanwhile, inked a four-year, $20-million contract extension this summer. The 26-year-old is coming off a terrific 2020-21 campaign where he posted a 21-11-1 record with a .927 save percentage and 20.9 goals saved above average.

And after years of backing up Rinne, Saros is confident he won't be fazed by a larger workload.

"Of course, it's a bigger role, but at the same time, it doesn't really change," Saros said.

"I always try to do my best, whatever the role is. So, I think I'll adjust to that. Of course, I played as a No. 1 goalie before, too, in different leagues, but yeah, I'm just ready to get the season going."

Nashville drafted Saros 99th overall in 2013. He's appeared in 155 NHL games.

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The Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Travis Sanheim have agreed on a two-year contract carrying a $4.675-million average annual value, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Sanheim entered the offseason as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He was the last player on Philadelphia's books in need of a contract.

The 25-year-old has emerged as a key piece on the Flyers' blue line. He notched 15 points in 55 games last season while averaging nearly 22 minutes per contest.

Sanheim was drafted 17th overall in 2014. He's played in 255 career games since breaking into the NHL during the 2017-18 campaign.

The Flyers transformed their defensive corps this offseason. The club traded Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg while bringing in Ryan Ellis, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Keith Yandle in separate moves.

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Warm weather, golf, fishing, and, most importantly, the opportunity to play under three-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach Joel Quenneville: Consider Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett a fan of life in the Sunshine State.

"(Quenneville's) a coach that once he trusts you and believes in you, he'll put you in situations to succeed," Bennett told The Hockey News' Erin Brown. "He gives pointers here and there and advice. But he'll let you play hockey, too. It's been unbelievable, and I couldn't be happier with my time under 'Q.'"

The Calgary Flames flipped Bennett and a 2022 sixth-round selection to the Panthers in exchange for prospect Emil Heineman and a 2022 second-round pick at the trade deadline this past season.

The 25-year-old struggled to produce in his final 38 games with the Flames in 2020-21, registering just four goals and 12 points while averaging 13:27 of ice time per contest.

Bennett - the fourth overall pick in 2014 and the Flames' highest selection since relocating from Atlanta - hasn't topped 27 points in a season since notching 36 as a rookie in 2015-16. He's well aware his time with Calgary didn't pan out as expected.

"I knew I still had a lot more to give and more to show as a player. I thought I could do a lot more than what I was doing in Calgary," he said. "Sometimes that's all it takes - a little bit of a change, a GM and a coach that believe in you, and that's definitely what I got in Florida."

Bennett enjoyed a resurgence in 10 regular-season outings with the Panthers, posting 15 points while averaging a career-high 18:03 of ice time per game as their No. 2 center. He also saw time on Florida's top power-play unit and added five points in five playoff games.

"The opportunity alone was a ton," Bennett said. He added: "I got to play with some great players. They helped me as well. All that, put together with gaining confidence quickly, I think that was the recipe to have success early."

The Panthers rewarded Bennett handsomely for his late-season performance, inking him to a four-year deal reportedly worth $4.425 million annually earlier this offseason.

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