The Edmonton Oilers will retire Kevin Lowe's No. 4 jersey prior to their Nov. 5 clash with the New York Rangers, the team announced Monday.

Lowe played 15 seasons (1979-1992) as a defenseman with the Oilers and won five Stanley Cups. He added another championship ring to his collection with the Rangers in 1994.

The 62-year-old was a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2020 class. Lowe is currently an alternate governor for the Oilers and has previously served as head coach and general manager.

Seven players have already seen their numbers retired by Edmonton, including Al Hamilton (3), Paul Coffey (7), Glenn Anderson (9), Mark Messier (11), Jari Kurri (17), Grant Fuhr (31), and Wayne Gretzky (99).

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Jonathan Drouin said his leave of absence from the Montreal Canadiens last season was to focus on his mental health.

"I've had anxiety problems for many years. Insomnia problems that relate to my anxiety," Drouin told RDS' Chantal Machabee, according to TSN. "That week in Calgary where we played three games (April 23 to 26) - I missed all three of them and wasn’t feeling good.

"It was where I hit a wall for me, and it was time to step away from the game and literally take a step back from everything and kind of enjoy life. I needed it, and it was hard for me to do at that time and obviously, playoffs were coming around.

"It wasn't an easy thing to do and I'm proud of what I'd done and I'm happy I did it. I'm 26 years old, so I wanted to do that at that point in my career and feel good for the next years."

The Canadiens placed Drouin on long-term injured reserve for personal reasons on April 28, with an indefinite timeline for his return to the team. He didn't play again despite Montreal's run to the Stanley Cup Final.

The first update on Drouin's absence came in late July when general manager Marc Bergevin said the player was feeling great and "ready to go."

The third overall pick from the 2013 NHL Draft went into more detail about what he was dealing with.

"The passion never left me. It was really to take a step back, to have a lifestyle that was easier for me to play hockey," Drouin told Machabee. "There were times where I could have gone three nights without sleeping and go and play back-to-back games. It's not something that's normal for anybody and I needed to change that a bit."

Drouin added that he's "doing very well" after spending the summer with family and friends. He's expected to be back in the Canadiens' lineup this coming season.

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The Winnipeg Jets have placed defenseman Sami Niku on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to CapFriendly.

The decision was mutual between the two sides, reports the Toronto Star's Chris Johnston.

Niku was entering the final campaign of a two-year deal worth $725,000 annually.

The 24-year-old once showed great promise. He was named the AHL's defenseman of the year in 2017-18 - his first season in North America - after racking up 54 points over 76 games with the Manitoba Moose.

However, he was never able to carve out a consistent NHL role for himself while recording only two goals and eight assists in 54 contests across four seasons. He made just six appearances in 2020-21.

Niku is hoping to start fresh with a different organization and is not aiming to play in Europe right now, Johnston adds.

The Jets selected Niku in the seventh round in 2015.

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The Montreal Canadiens are bringing in Cody Goloubef on a professional tryout, the team announced Monday.

Goloubef, a right-handed defenseman standing at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, has skated in 160 career NHL games across eight seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings. He's recorded 25 points.

The 31-year-old spent the 2021 campaign with the AHL's Belleville Senators, where he tallied four goals and two assists in 31 contests.

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Travis Zajac is hanging up his skates as a member of the New Jersey Devils.

The 15-year NHL veteran signed a one-day contract with the Devils and announced his retirement Monday. He spent the first 1,024 games of his career in New Jersey. Ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, he was dealt to the New York Islanders, with whom he played 13 regular-season contests.

Zajac will remain with the organization in a player development and consulting role.

"Everyone in the NHL appreciates that Travis Zajac's work ethic and style of play were reflective of the New Jersey Devils," said Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said. "His training, discipline, and focus rubbed off on every player who walked into that locker room over his 15-year career."

Zajac was regarded as one of the more reliable two-way centers of his era. A first-round pick of the Devils in 2004, he received downballot Selke Trophy votes seven times in his career, finishing as high as sixth in 2009-10 when he posted a career-best 67 points. He completes his career with a 53.8 faceoff win percentage.

The 36-year-old ranks fourth in Devils history in games played, third in goals (202), fifth in assists (348), and third in points (550).

Although Zajac never won a Stanley Cup, he did help the Devils reach the final in 2012, when he put up 14 points in 24 playoff games after missing nearly the entire regular season due to injury.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native represented Canada twice on the international stage, winning a silver medal at the 2009 World Championship.

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Divisions: Metropolitan | Central (Sept. 21) | Pacific (Sept. 22) | Atlantic (Sept. 23)

With the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series begins with an in-depth look at each club in the Metropolitan Division.

Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted.

Carolina Hurricanes

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Hurricanes had an absurdly eventful offseason, easily the busiest in the NHL. We've done our best to break it down into a few separate parts.

The good

Carolina signed Svechnikov to a max-term deal at an affordable rate, which was a tidy piece of business. The 21-year old is a superstar in the making and an integral part of Carolina's attack.

Bear is a nice addition to a defensive corps that lost a huge piece.

The bad

The Hurricanes traded Nedeljkovic, a Calder Trophy finalist and seemingly the stable future in goal for a pick and player the club ultimately let walk. It was a peculiar decision at best.

They also let Hamilton hit the open market, which could prove to be a costly mistake. He joined a division rival at a cheaper cost than several inferior blue-liners signed this offseason. Not only is Hamilton elite at shot suppression, he's one of the league's best offensive defensemen.

The uncertain

Bringing in Andersen and Raanta aboard carries a lot of risk. Both goalies have been capable starters in the NHL but are injury prone and a few years removed from their best work. Retaining Nedeljkovic and finding a cheaper backup would have been the more sensible approach.

The Hurricanes insist they didn't give an offer sheet to Kotkaniemi out of spite for Montreal's attempt to poach Sebastian Aho a few years back, but the hockey world isn't convinced. Why else would you give a low-ceiling offensive player $6.1 million per season? If Kotkaniemi doesn't pan out, this could be remembered as an all-time blunder.

The unnecessary

Signing DeAngelo after the Rangers bought him out drew plenty of ire from fans across the league. What has the controversial blue-liner done to prove he deserves another chance?

Grade: D+

Columbus Blue Jackets

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

* Extension beginning in 2022-23

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Blue Jackets weren't big players in free agency but were still active throughout the offseason. Columbus got a great haul in trading Jones to Chicago and added three projected impact players in the first round of the draft. Its top prospects won't be in the NHL lineup in October but could join for a late-season showcase.

Werenski's extension is pricey, but it was important for Jarmo Kekalainen to secure a core player to a long-term deal after losing so many in recent years. Laine will need a new contract next year, but a fresh start under a new head coach could provide the spark he needs.

Bringing Voracek back seems like a lateral move, but it saves the organization money during its rebuild. Perhaps the veteran playmaker can be the one to feed Laine's lethal one-timer on the power play.

Grade: B

New Jersey Devils

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Devils took significant strides toward contending with a slew of shrewd moves. Hamilton, of course, was the biggest splash of the summer and he'll anchor New Jersey's top defensive pairing for several years to come. Adding Graves for a second-round pick and a prospect is another move that significantly bolsters the Devils' back end, which has been a weakness for years.

New Jersey also pounced on Tatar, who was somehow available after the initial wave of free-agent signings. His presence on the wing, likely alongside Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, provides the Devils a veteran presence with strong play-driving and offensive ability. Scoring depth was an area Tom Fitzgerald needed to address in order to progress his rebuild this year.

Last but not least, Jonathan Bernier and Mackenzie Blackwood form a formidable duo in goal. The Devils strengthened their lineup at every position this summer, and it should pay major dividends for a team on an upward trajectory.

Grade: A

New York Islanders

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

N/A

Most of the Islanders' work this summer was to retain restricted free agents, and, as usual, general manager Lou Lamoriello managed to keep the cost to a minimum. Some were surprised at Pelech's eight-year contract, but he's an underrated rock on New York's top pairing and a tremendous fit in Barry Trotz's system.

Six years for Cizikas is a lot, but the cost is low and he plays a significant role as well. Everywhere else, the deals are fair for an Islanders team that's missed the Stanley Cup Final by a hair in back-to-back seasons.

Lamoriello's reunion with Parise was the flashiest move New York made this offseason. He's a low-risk, high-reward project and should be motivated as ever to gun for a ring after his stunning buyout from Minnesota.

Grade: B+

New York Rangers

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Rangers have a terrific core in place and are poised to benefit from Gerard Gallant's hiring as head coach. However, Chris Drury's first offseason in charge was a weird one. The rookie GM overpaid for a depth piece in Goodrow, then dealt a third-round pick for Reaves. Ownership wanted to get tougher after last season's Tom Wilson debacle, so Drury's hand might have been forced, but prioritizing an enforcer for a high-octane team that needs defensive help isn't the wisest course of action.

Hauling Blais and a second-rounder for Buchnevich was also underwhelming. Blais is only under contract for one season and Buchnevich was an underrated piece of New York's offense in a breakout 2020-21. His demands as a restricted free agent may have priced some teams out of the trade market, but it feels like the Rangers could have done better in moving on from the talented winger.

Drury's best work this summer was locking up Shesterkin. His deal is team-friendly and should pay off immediately.

Grade: C-

Philadelphia Flyers

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Like the Hurricanes, the Flyers occupied plenty of the spotlight this offseason. Philadelphia made a handful of blockbuster trades while also retaining several key in-house pieces with contract extensions. And also like the Hurricanes, some of Philly's moves were good, while others were head-scratchers.

Ellis is a star and will help stabilize a defensive unit that struggled last season. Moving on from Patrick only four years after drafting him second overall is disappointing for the organization, but Philly came away with the best player in the three-way trade that ultimately sent Patrick to Vegas.

The Ristolainen trade is where the Flyers' offseason vision becomes murky. The former Sabres blue-liner is one of the league's worst defenders by several metrics, and Philly gave up a first- and second-round pick to acquire one year of his services. Shipping Gostisbehere and two picks to Arizona for future considerations was another puzzling trade by Chuck Fletcher. Surely, he could have gotten something in return for a player of Gostisbehere's stature.

Fletcher does deserve credit for locking up Couturier and Farabee to long-term deals at fair prices. Hart's contract will provide strong value as well if the young netminder rediscovers his form.

Grade: C+

Pittsburgh Penguins

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

It was a quiet offseason in Pittsburgh, as the perennially cap-strapped Penguins had little financial flexibility to make any moves of significance. Losing McCann and Tanev hurts the Pens' depth, but Ron Hextall managed to scoop up some cheap replacements and remain cap compliant. Role players will be of the utmost importance early in 2021-22, as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be sidelined to start the year.

Pittsburgh's biggest need heading into the summer was goaltending, as Tristan Jarry's dismal playoff performance sunk the club in the first round. There were lots of reliable netminding options available, but the Penguins stayed the course and hired a new goalie coach instead of signing someone new. How that decision pans out will likely determine the fate of the club's season.

Grade: C

Washington Capitals

Key arrivals

Vanecek was re-acquired after being claimed by Seattle in the expansion draft.

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Capitals were another team with a subdued offseason. Rumors swirled about the club potentially trading Evgeny Kuznetsov, but nothing materialized. A deal involving the Russian pivot could have awarded Washington some much-needed cap space, but the club ultimately allocated its dough toward Ovechkin's shiny extension. Hard to fault them for that.

Ovi's new deal, though expected, was one of the biggest stories of the offseason. Five more years of the captain in Washington means Wayne Gretzky's goal record is officially in danger, and with nothing else of theirs to grade, we commend the Capitals for providing the hockey world with the opportunity to witness history.

Grade: C+

(Salary source: Cap Friendly)

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The Vegas Golden Knights re-signed forward Nolan Patrick to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.2 million, the team announced Sunday.

Vegas acquired Patrick from the Nashville Predators in a three-team trade in July, sending forward Cody Glass to the Predators in exchange for the 23-year-old.

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Patrick second overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He missed the entire 2019-20 campaign due to a migraine disorder.

Patrick has scored 30 goals and added 40 assists across 197 career games.

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The Ottawa Senators signed forward Tyler Ennis to a professional tryout contract ahead of training camp, the team announced Sunday.

Ennis suited up for the Senators during the 2019-20 campaign after inking a one-year, $800,000 deal. He registered 33 points across 61 games in Ottawa before being shipped to the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline that season.

"Tyler played well here in Ottawa in 2019-20. He has considerable NHL experience and someone we'll look forward to evaluating as camp gets underway," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "The PTO represents a good opportunity for both him and for us."

The 31-year-old posted nine points over 30 contests with the Oilers last year while seeing his ice time dip to just over 12 minutes per game, its lowest mark since the 2017-18 campaign.

Ennis spent his first eight years in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres. He's also enjoyed brief stints with the Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs during his career.

He's produced 322 points across 643 career contests.

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