While it's still unclear whether fans will be able to attend NHL games if and when the 2020-21 season begins, some teams are starting to get creative in order to potentially have spectators in attendance.

At least four teams - the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins - have investigated the idea of playing home games outdoors to allow people to attend, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, and Nashville Predators have also told the league that they're interested in playing outdoors, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

The Kings were the first team to kick the idea around several months ago, Friedman added, as the team's ownership also owns Dignity Health Sports Park - a soccer stadium with a 27,000-person capacity that's home to the LA Galaxy.

Meanwhile, the Bruins have talked to city officials about different options and are in an "exploratory phase" regarding using Fenway Park. The Penguins have looked into Heinz Field and PNC Park.

Friedman cautions the plan is a long shot but adds teams are simply doing their due diligence by exploring all options. The costs of outdoor games are likely too high, and they would also require player approval.

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Thomas Vanek believes the NHL was a much rougher league earlier in his career.

"The last four-to-five years, besides (Zdeno) Chara, the league isn't that tough anymore. I think we can all agree on that," Vanek said on "The Instigators" podcast recently. "I think early on when we all played together and you got the (Chris) Prongers, the (Derian) Hatchers, that was tough.

"Standing in front of the net, there was no penalties back then. The ref would say, 'Hey, loosen up Pronger' and Pronger would look at the ref and was like 'Don't ever talk to me again.'"

The 36-year-old skipped out on the 2019-20 season, but he hasn't officially retired yet. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, Vanek began his career in 2005 and last played during the 2018-19 campaign.

Known for his goal-scoring abilities and net-front presence, Vanek has spent plenty of time battling in the crease. After playing throughout the last two decades, Vanek says he's seen a shift in how defensemen approach the game.

"I don't know if it was really dirty (in the past), that's the way it was - if you go in front of the net, you're taking a punishment," Vanek said. "Now the game has changed. You've got a lot of smaller defensemen who are more mobile. They cross-check a little bit, but those guys are nonexistent really anymore."

The Austrian native has amassed 373 goals and 416 assists over 1,029 career games. He's also been given his fair share of penalties, totaling 547 penalty minutes.

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With his future playing status still up in the air, St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong shared he would love to hire Jay Bouwmeester to work with his organization at some point in the near future.

"I would love to work with him. I would love to get him into some scouting for us in the future," Armstrong said on the "Cam & Strick Podcast."

"He's one of those guys, he's got a great hockey mind - and also, retirement's great until you're home all the time. Now I'm not saying that he's going to want to travel like a pro scout and do four games in five nights in five cities, but he can go into Calgary, go up to Edmonton, go to Vancouver, he can come in when we're there."

Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac episode during a game in February and subsequently underwent a heart procedure to install an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, causing him to miss the rest of the 2019-20 season and playoffs.

The Edmonton, Alberta, native spoke to the media late in February while he recovered and stated he didn't make any decisions at the time about his playing future. He's currently an unrestricted free agent and has not retired officially.

Bouwmeester had an illustrious career to date after the Florida Panthers selected him third overall in the 2002 draft. The 37-year-old was named to two All-Star Games, won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, and won five gold medals with Team Canada in various international tournaments including the 2014 Olympics. He has appeared in 1,240 regular-season games during his 17-year career, tallying 424 points.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

After challenging YouTube star Jake Paul to a boxing match last week, San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has now drawn the attention of Jake's older brother, Logan Paul.

"Put him on the list. I'll do it," Logan Paul said on his podcast "Impaulsive." "There's fighting in hockey, I get it. ... It's boxing. It is a sport. There's strategy, there's technique. ... He's probably tough as hell, man's probably tough as nails. I bet his chin's not. Most people's aren't."

Kane publicized his desire to fight Jake over the last several days after the YouTube star knocked out ex-NBA player Nate Robinson in a boxing match on Saturday. Kane took to Twitter once again to show he's not afraid to take on either brother after hearing Logan's comments.

Logan expressed concern about Kane's popularity but seemed to entertain the idea of actually being on board with organizing a bout - whether it involves him or his brother.

"Does Jake Paul vs. Evander Kane - is that a headline fight? How many buys does that get? How many people?" Paul said. "Or does he just do it because he'll get another fantastic fucking knockout?"

With Kane seemingly not backing down from his challenge, the ball now looks to be in the Paul brothers' court.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

After challenging YouTube star Jake Paul to a boxing match last week, San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has now drawn the attention of Jake's older brother, Logan Paul.

"Put him on the list. I'll do it," Logan Paul said on his podcast "Impaulsive." "There's fighting in hockey, I get it. ... It's boxing. It is a sport. There's strategy, there's technique. ... He's probably tough as hell, man's probably tough as nails. I bet his chin's not. Most people's aren't."

Kane publicized his desire to fight Jake over the last several days after the YouTube star knocked out ex-NBA player Nate Robinson in a boxing match on Saturday. Kane took to Twitter once again to show he's not afraid to take on either brother after hearing Logan's comments.

Logan expressed concern about Kane's popularity but seemed to entertain the idea of actually being on board with organizing a bout - whether it involves him or his brother.

"Does Jake Paul vs. Evander Kane - is that a headline fight? How many buys does that get? How many people?" Paul said. "Or does he just do it because he'll get another fantastic fucking knockout?"

With Kane seemingly not backing down from his challenge, the ball now looks to be in the Paul brothers' court.

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The Buffalo Sabres have been one of the busiest teams this offseason, and captain Jack Eichel likes what he sees.

"We're really excited," Eichel said Tuesday, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "They're great moves from management in the offseason. Now, more than anything at this point, you want to get back to playing.

"I think it's great. I think it definitely sparked some excitement in me and other guys in the room."

Eichel publicly shared his frustration with his team's lack of progress after missing the playoffs once again this past campaign. The Sabres haven't made the postseason since 2010-11.

Buffalo was a big winner in free agency. After replacing fired general manager Jason Botterill, Kevyn Adams managed to land the highly coveted Taylor Hall while also bringing in Eric Staal and Cody Eakin to add depth down the lineup.

"Whenever you can add people like Taylor Hall and Eric Staal and Cody Eakin to your roster and the locker room, they not only bring talent to the ice but also (a) veteran presence," Eichel said. "In a situation like ours where we're trying to find a winning culture with a young group and trying to figure out the right way to do things at times, I think having older guys can help you out, especially during periods of adversity."

Eichel added that having Hall, a former Hart Trophy winner, in the lineup will take "a bit of pressure off me."

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Fred Sasakamoose, one of the first Indigenous players in NHL history, died at age 86, his son, Neil, revealed on Facebook on Tuesday.

Sasakamoose was hospitalized Friday with a suspected case of COVID-19 after having symptoms for a couple of days. He was awaiting test results.

Sasakamoose played in 11 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1953-54. Following his time with the Blackhawks, Sasakamoose helped build and develop minor hockey, as well as other sports, in the Ahtahkakoop First Nation in Saskatchewan, where he grew up.

In 1962, Sasakamoose became one of the founding members of the Northern Indian Hockey League. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 in the builder category.

Sasakamoose also previously served on the NHL Diversity Task Force. He was named to the Order of Canada in 2017.

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Four players on the Vegas Golden Knights recently tested positive for COVID-19, the team told TSN's Frank Seravalli on Monday.

The four players are currently in self-isolation and recovering, the club said. Out of caution, Vegas' off-ice player areas - including the locker room, gym, training room, and video room - will be closed through Thanksgiving weekend.

Some players have voluntarily returned to their club's cities to resume training ahead of the upcoming 2020-21 season. The NHL is targeting a start date of Jan. 1.

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Although the Minnesota Wild find themselves without a captain for the first time in years, general manager Bill Guerin says the team will name a new leader before the 2020-21 season begins.

"We'll name a new captain and we'll move forward," Guerin said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "Big shoes to fill, but my personal belief is it's an important position to fill and you just don't want to leave the team in limbo."

Mikko Koivu, the team's first permanent captain in franchise history, held the title for the last decade but signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets this offseason.

The Wild have a number of veteran players that could be called upon to take on the new role. Ryan Suter and Zach Parise have been associate captains since signing 13-year deals in 2012, while the team also has some homegrown options such as Jared Spurgeon.

Guerin didn't reveal who he's considering naming captain, but he said there are "some good guys here, some really good people here."

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Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien hopes he can stick around in the NHL for as long as possible after successfully undergoing heart surgery in August.

"Right now, I'm back (at) 100%," Julien said, according to NHL.com's Jon Lane. "My heart is 100%. ... So, as long as my health is good and my passion and excitement remain, I'd love to keep coaching (for) as long as I can."

The 60-year-old left the Canadiens after experiencing chest pains during the 2019-20 postseason. He subsequently underwent a stent procedure.

Julien previously said he'll return to coach Montreal for the 2020-21 campaign. Despite the health scare and his age, he added that he still loves coaching and doesn't envision himself retiring any time soon.

"I love going to the rink every day to work with players and then prepare for games and practices," Julien said. "As long as you love your job and you have the energy to do it and the passion to do it, that's the most important part versus whether you feel like you should retire because you've been coaching long enough."

Julien began his NHL coaching career in 2002. He is one of four bench bosses aged 60 or older, alongside Rick Bowness, John Tortorella, and Joel Quenneville.

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