The deal is reportedly for two years and carries an average annual value of $1.55 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The two sides were reportedly heading to arbitration roughly $1 million apart, with Lemieux seeking $2 million annually and the team offering slightly over $1 million.
The physical forward accumulated 164 hits and 111 penalty minutes last season while also racking up six goals and 12 assists in 59 games.
Lemieux was selected with the 31st pick in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He's appeared in 131 career games with the Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, tallying 19 goals and 17 assists. Lemieux ranks ninth in the league in penalty minutes since his NHL debut in 2017.
Seven NHL teams now find themselves without an official leader following the departures of Alex Pietrangelo from St. Louis and Mikko Koivu from Minnesota. With a high number of captain vacancies throughout the league, let's take a look at some of the top candidates for each opening.
Ottawa Senators
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The Senators expressed their utmost confidence in Thomas Chabot by inking the then-22-year-old to a massive eight-year, $64-million extension in 2019. He figures to be a big part of Ottawa's bright future as one of the league's highest-paid blue-liners. It would make sense to put him at the forefront of the Senators' resurgence.
On the other hand, Ottawa turned some heads by taking Brady Tkachuk fourth overall in 2018. Tkachuk has already surpassed expectations by breathing new life into the Senators' lineup as the team's premier forward. The 21-year-old's evident heart and dedication make him a great choice to captain Ottawa for years to come.
New Jersey Devils
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Nico Hischier seems destined to be the team's captain at some point, but he may have to wait to get the "C" stitched onto his jersey. He's still just 21 years old, so it's possible New Jersey would like to see Hischier mature first before putting that kind of pressure on him.
In order to give Hischier time to develop, the team could make veteran Travis Zajac the captain. The 35-year-old - who has just one season remaining on his current deal - has spent his entire 14-year career with the Devils. Giving him the captaincy would be a nice nod to Zajac's devotion to the club before it passes the torch to the future of the franchise.
New York Rangers
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The Rangers have been without a captain since Ryan McDonagh's departure in 2018, but they have a number of good candidates to succeed him. Chris Kreider is a career Ranger who recently inked a seven-year pact. He could inspire the team as a respected veteran who wears his heart on his sleeve.
However, Mika Zibanejad seems destined to become New York's captain. He's one of the Rangers' top players, he's a fan favorite, and he's showcased his ability to step up in critical situations. Zibanejad has all the makings of a great captain in the Big Apple.
St. Louis Blues
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The Blues may not rush to name a captain for next season following Pietrangelo's departure. There are plenty of viable players that are ready to step in and fill the spot, including veteran Brayden Schenn. The 29-year-old is signed through 2027-28 and has been vital for the team throughout his career.
The player that many are pegging to be St. Louis' next captain, though, is Ryan O'Reilly. He's shown an improved attitude and a clear resurgence in play over the past two seasons since the Blues acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres. O'Reilly - who won the Conn Smythe Trophy after helping the Blues capture the Cup in his first season with the club - has all the qualities of a leader.
Detroit Red Wings
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It's clear both Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are set to spearhead a new era in Detroit. After a complete overhaul that's resulted in a ton of young talent, the Red Wings will need either Larkin or Mantha to guide the way.
However, all signs point to Larkin assuming that role. The Michigan native sported an "A" this past season, and he's Detroit's offensive focal point. The 24-year-old will be needed in the locker room to get his young teammates going.
Vegas Golden Knights
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The Golden Knights' choices to be their captain are plentiful. Do they go with a Day 1 player? How about a past captain like Max Pacioretty, who's already spent two seasons with the team?
Mark Stone seems to make the most sense. He's arguably been Vegas' best player since arriving at the 2018-19 trade deadline, and he cemented himself with the team by immediately inking a monster eight-year, $76-million deal. Stone's an elite on-ice force who has previous leadership experience with the Ottawa Senators and Team Canada.
Minnesota Wild
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Minnesota will be without Koivu - the first permanent captain in Wild history - for the first time since his NHL debut in 2005. There may not be a rush to replace him, but Minnesota has a number of savvy veterans to choose from. One of them is Ryan Suter. He's been a pillar on the team since he signed his gigantic 13-year, $98-million deal in 2012. His play may have declined since, but his presence and leadership are still a big part of his role.
Another player to keep an eye on is Jared Spurgeon. The 30-year-old - who's signed through 2026-27 - figures to be the team's premier defenseman for the foreseeable future. He's played with the Wild for his entire career, which helps his case - only five active NHL captains haven't played their entire career for their current club.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a labral tear in his left shoulder and is expected to fully recover in five-to-six months, the team announced Wednesday.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen revealed the ailment was a chronic issue that Nyquist has dealt with for a number of seasons.
"He has been able to perform at a high level, but a cyst in the area developed over time that has inhibited his ability to continue to do so," Kekalainen said. "As a result, surgery was the best course of action and we look forward to having him back at full strength this season."
The 31-year-old completed his first season with the Blue Jackets in 2019-20 after inking a four-year, $22-million pact with the club last summer. He recorded 15 goals and 42 points in 70 games.
The NHL has expressed its desire to target Jan. 1 as the start date for next season. Nyquist's timetable would have him on track to return in April or May.
The Dallas Stars may be without two of their most important players for an extended period next season.
Goaltender Ben Bishop underwent right knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Oct. 21 and is expected to miss approximately five months, the team announced Tuesday.
Additionally, forward Tyler Seguin underwent a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair on Nov. 2 and is expected to also need approximately five months to recover from the date of the surgery.
Bishop was deemed unfit to play for the majority of the Stars' playoff run, which culminated in a Stanley Cup Final loss. He appeared in only three games across the postseason and ultimately missed the team's final 13 contests.
It was revealed after the playoffs that Seguin played through his injuries for the majority of the action. He tallied just two goals and 11 assists in 26 games during the postseason.
The NHL is targeting a start date of Jan. 1 for the 2020-21 season. With the injury timelines given by the team, Bishop could return in late March and Seguin in early April.
The 25-year-old split time last season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, tallying 12 goals and 19 assists across 56 games.
The Czech-born German forward has logged just two NHL seasons. He previously spent four campaigns in Germany's top professional league with Munich EHC.
Kahun was teammates with Oilers star Leon Draisaitl in Germany's under-16 Schuler-BL league. During the 2010-11 season, Kahun recorded 69 goals and 206 points in 30 games, while Draisaitl netted 97 goals and 192 points.
Foegele was a restricted free agent, so the two sides have avoided going to arbitration.
"Warren has shown improvement each year of his professional career," general manager Don Waddell said. "We expect him to continue to develop and enhance his role on our team."
The 24-year-old established career highs in goals (13) and assists (17) in 68 contests during the 2019-20 season. He averaged 13:43 minutes of ice time per game.
Carolina drafted Foegele in the third round in 2014. He's amassed 25 goals and 23 assists in 147 NHL games.
Ontario premier Doug Ford has weighed in on the OHL potentially banning bodychecking in the league's return-to-play plan.
"We are engaging with the OHL to create a safe return-to-play plan, which will need to be approved by health experts," Ford tweeted Saturday. "To date no decisions have been made. I would like to see the OHL return as normal as possible with bodychecking."
Ford's statement contradicts one of his own cabinet's ministers. Lisa MacLeod, Ontario's minister of sport, said on Friday that "prolonged or deliberate contact while playing sports is not permitted," and the government will continue to work with the OHL on a safe return-to-play plan.
MacLeod was adamant that removing purposeful contact from the sport is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, she tweeted that she hoped "this matter is now settled."
The OHL is targeting a December start date for its 2020-21 season.
Mike Hoffman remains a free agent, and the offers he's receiving aren't blowing the winger away.
Several teams have expressed interest in the 30-year-old, but the offers have been "bargain city," according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
The sniper led the free-agency class in goals this past season, and he's been one of the NHL's best scorers since stepping into the league, notching 169 goals in 464 games over six campaigns. That's good for 29.87 goals per 82 contests, and only 15 players have registered more markers than Hoffman since 2014-15.
While many teams surely desire the forward, agent Rob Hooper says his client is willing to wait to get the money he deserves from a club the veteran fits with.
"Very patient,’’ Hooper said to LeBrun. "Mike has been one of the most consistent goal-scorers the last six seasons and the last two were his best. More importantly, Mike, like every great scorer, is willing to be patient and look for the right opportunity."
Hoffman spent the last two seasons with the Florida Panthers, scoring a career-high 36 goals and 70 points in 2018-19, and then producing 29 goals and 30 assists in just 69 games this past campaign.
The NHL's bubbles may have worked flawlessly for the 2019-20 postseason, but San Jose Sharks goaltender Devan Dubnyk doesn't believe players would be willing to do it again for the upcoming campaign.
"I don’t think anybody is signing up to do another 60 days or anything extended like that," Dubnyk said, according to NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil. “It’s really tough.”
Dubnyk spent just over a week in the NHL's bubble over the summer as a member of the Minnesota Wild. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars, who made it to the Stanley Cup Final, spent two months inside the bubble.
The league recorded zero positive tests from the moment players and staff entered the controlled zones. However, Dubnyk believes there are ways around needing to set up bubbles, and he points to other major sports leagues.
"I don’t think guys will want to do that, or should be put in a position to do that,” Dubnyk said. “No other sport is, and it’s not necessary to do that. It’s not what we signed up for, and not what anybody is really prepared to do. There’s so many players with young families, that’s just really hard."
The NHL has reportedly kicked around the idea in the past of using a hybrid bubble system to make the season work. The concept would put players on a rotation, spending two weeks inside a bubble and then one week at home before reentering.
Recently, the NHL's deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league currently has "no likely scenario" for what its upcoming season will look like.
The Montreal Canadiens finished the 2019-20 season on a high note, and owner Geoff Molson believes the pieces are there to be competitive for the foreseeable future.
"We've got the foundation now for a team that can be good for many years," Molson told Sportsnet's Eric Engels.
The Canadiens have bounced between being a possible contender and a lottery team for the better part of the last decade. Since 2010, Montreal has advanced to the conference finals twice and earned a top-10 draft pick three times.
Montreal showed a glimpse of its potential during the postseason, bouncing the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round and taking the Philadelphia Flyers to six games in Round 1.
While the Canadiens already boasted a healthy mix of veterans and youngsters, Molson is pleased with general manager Marc Bergevin's moves this offseason to address the team's needs.
"Marc filled every hole that he said he was going to fill, so I think that's really exciting," Molson said. "I'm really excited about this year coming up."
He added, "We have a team that should make the playoffs, I can tell you that. And I think the team and the organization and the fans would be extremely disappointed if we didn't. I think we've gotten to the point where we can. So, with that in mind, it would be disappointing if we didn't."
Bergevin has been the league's busiest executive this offseason. He traded for and subsequently signed forward Josh Anderson to a long-term deal, inked one of the top free agents in Tyler Toffoli, and handed out extensions to key players like Brendan Gallagher and Jeff Petry.
