Sidney Crosby has spoken.

Asked about Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson's hit on St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain sounded off on the winger's apparent inability to learn from his past punishments.

"We've talked about it a lot with him. He still chooses to make those hits. I'm sure the league's well aware of that," Crosby told Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I just don't know how many opportunities you need. Obviously, the point hasn't been made yet."

Wilson's been invited to an in-person disciplinary hearing, meaning the NHL could ban him for at least five games. His last suspension came in the second round of the 2018 postseason when he was banned for three games following an illegal check to the head of the Penguins' Zach Aston-Reese.

Crosby added that Wilson's game has plenty more to offer than reckless hits.

"He's a good player," Crosby said. "He's got speed. He goes hard to the net. He's a tough guy to play against. There's really no reason to continue to hit like that."

Wilson finished last season with a career-high 35 points before adding another 15 playoff points en route to the Stanley Cup. His performance landed him a six-year, $31-million extension this summer.

Should Wilson be suspended, Crosby won't have to worry about facing him in the Penguins' season opener on Oct. 4, which will also mark the second game of the year for the Capitals.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have acquired forward Nick Baptiste from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Jack Dougherty, the teams announced Monday.

Baptiste appeared in 33 games with the Sabres last season, picking up four goals and two assists. He was Buffalo's third-round pick in 2013.

Dougherty has yet to make his NHL debut, having spent the past two full seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Predators' AHL affiliate. He notched one goal and 11 assists in 63 contests with the Admirals last season.

The Predators chose Dougherty in the second round of the 2014 draft.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Nylander isn't quite ready for prime time.

The Buffalo Sabres assigned the 20-year-old forward to the AHL's Rochester Americans, the team announced Monday

It marks the third straight season that Nylander will begin in the minors.

In 51 games with the Americans last season, Nylander notched eight goals and 19 assists to finish just inside the top-10 in team scoring. He later added one goal across three appearances with the Sabres.

Buffalo selected Nylander with the eighth pick in the 2016 draft.

While Nylander is headed to the minors, former first-rounder Tage Thompson appears set to make Buffalo's final 23-man roster, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.

The Sabres acquired Thompson from the St. Louis Blues this offseason as part of the Ryan O'Reilly trade. In 30 games last season with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage, the Arizona native picked up eight goals and 10 assists. He added nine points in 41 games with the Blues.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If an extension doesn't materialize in the coming days, don't expect Mitch Marner to revisit contract talks until the end of the season.

That's the message from Darren Ferris, the agent of the Toronto Maple Leafs forward who appeared on TSN 1050's "Leafs Lunch" on Friday.

"We've had some very productive discussions so far and if nothing's done by the start of the season, then we'll wait until next summer and we'll get back at it again," Ferris said.

Marner has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, meaning he can become a restricted free agent next summer.

A Marner extension is just one challenge Toronto could face in the offseason. There's also a decision to be made on superstar center Auston Matthews, who can also become a restricted free agent.

Fellow young star William Nylander, who made his NHL debut one season prior to Marner and Matthews, remains unsigned.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A future NHL outdoor game could be coming to the Buckeye State.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are one of eight clubs to have never participated in a Winter Classic or Stadium Series game, but that may not be the case for much longer.

"It's obvious that the (Blue Jackets are) competitive, that they're playing exciting hockey and the fans are reacting in positive ways," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "It's even at the point internally - we're not there yet - (but) we've even started focusing on the possibility of an outdoor game. We view Columbus as a great success story.

"It's on our radar screen of places we haven't been. We want to be as inclusive as possible, and (as) we view the success the Blue Jackets are having on and off the ice, the discussions become more frequent."

The commissioner also spoke to some of the criteria the NHL looks for in identifying host markets for its iconic outdoor event.

"We look for a mix," Bettman said. "Part of it is to assure we get a national (TV) rating. Part of it is to ensure that when we play in a 70,000-seat facility there's no doubt it will be sold out. We try to be opportunistic. It's a function of market. It's a function of team history and fan base, and it's a function of performance at the time."

Two major factors seem to play into Columbus' favor, including a suitable venue in the 102,000-seat Ohio Stadium, and the fact that the Blue Jackets have emerged as one of the NHL's top teams after years of futility.

The Blue Jackets finished with 97 points last season to mark their second straight appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Meanwhile, many pundits have pegged the team to make a third consecutive trip to the dance this spring.

Columbus has previously hosted two major NHL events, including the 2007 Entry Draft and the 2015 All-Star Game. The Blue Jackets joined the NHL in 2000.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brett Howden appears poised to make the New York Rangers' final roster.

The young center, acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at last year's trade deadline in the deal for former captain Ryan McDonagh, made it through the latest round of training camp cuts Friday.

With three injured skaters among the 26 players remaining at camp, Howden is expected to make the Rangers' 23-man roster.

The 20-year-old picked up 24 goals and 51 assists in 49 appearances with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors last season. The Lightning selected Howden 27th overall in 2016.

However, the news Friday wasn't as positive for another former first rounder.

Lias Andersson, the Rangers' seventh-overall pick in 2017, will begin the year with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack after being considered a strong candidate to make the team's final roster. The 19-year-old split the 2017-18 campaign between the AHL, the Swedish Hockey League, and a seven-game stint with the Rangers.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the saying goes, "Defense wins championships," and five squads stand above the rest with the best blue lines and netminders that the NHL has to offer. Here are the five best combinations of defense and goaltending entering the 2018-19 campaign:

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

• You'd be hard pressed to find a team with a more dominant top pairing than the Columbus Blue Jackets, who called on the duo of Zach Werenski and Seth Jones for more than 22 minutes a night last season. The middle pairing also offers some intrigue in former second overall pick Ryan Murray and underrated right-hand shot David Savard. Depth will be a challenge for Columbus, with two youngsters holding down the bottom pair. Dean Kukan and Scott Harrington will also push for minutes.

• The future of Sergei Bobrovsky, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season, remains one of the major question marks hanging over the Blue Jackets as the campaign opens. The Russian goaltender has made it known that he's not interested in negotiating midseason, furthering the issue. While the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is crucial to the Blue Jackets' success, could the team turn to budding netminder Joonas Korpisalo more often this season in preparation of a possible future without Bobrovsky?

4. Winnipeg Jets

• More and more, coaches are stressing a balance of left- and right-handed defenders on the blue line, but the mix is a little off when it comes to the Winnipeg Jets. The team boasts three top-level caliber defenders in Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers on its right side, but there's something to be desired on the left behind young rearguard Josh Morrissey. Luckily, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has left plenty of cap space, so adding a top-four left shot could be a possibility. Meanwhile, expect Joe Morrow and Tucker Poolman to also see frequent looks this season.

• After a so-so 2016-17 season, Connor Hellebuyck looked to be relegated to second-stringer following Steve Mason's addition as a free agent. But when the latter struggled, the former ran with the top job, losing just 11 of his 67 games and earning a Vezina Trophy nomination. The Jets netminder will need to be just as effective this season, particularly with new backup Laurent Brossoit an unlikely option to fill in for more than spot duty. Should Brossoit struggle as the No. 2, Winnipeg could turn to farmhand Eric Comrie.

3. San Jose Sharks

• Given Brent Burns and star addition Erik Karlsson are both right-handed, they're unlikely to pair together - save for the powerplay. That's not necessarily a bad thing for coach Peter DeBoer. With both defensemen capable of holding down big minutes, there's a good chance either will be on the ice for up to 50 minutes a game – good luck to the opposition. That's not to overlook Marc-Edouard Vlasic, one of the game's most effective defensive blue-liners. For depth, the Sharks will call on seventh defenseman Tim Heed.

• The results are there for Martin Jones, if not underwhelming. The Sharks netminder hasn't cracked a .920 save percentage across three seasons as San Jose's starter. Jones' .915 save percentage finished a pedestrian 13th league-wide among netminders who suited up for at least 50 games in 2017-18. Look for his numbers to see an uptick this season, especially with another top defenseman now clearing pucks away from his crease. Aaron Dell has emerged as a reliable backup.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

• While the Tampa Bay Lightning were unsuccessful in acquiring Karlsson, it's hard not to see their blue line as the deepest in the Eastern Conference, even without the former Ottawa Senators captain. It begins with reigning Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman, who took home the award for the first time last season. There's also deadline addition Ryan McDonagh, who has since inked a seven-year extension and will anchor the middle pairing. Mikhail Sergachev impressed as a rookie in 2017-18, as his 40 points finished second among freshmen rearguards. The Lightning will turn to Slater Koekkoek for depth with Jake Dotchin's future undetermined.

• Last year was a tale of two seasons for Lightning starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. Despite posting 44 wins in 65 games, more than half came before January, when Vasilevskiy sported a .935 save percentage and 2.02 goals-against average. However, in the season's second half, the Russian netminder's GAA spiked to 3.20, while his save rate slipped to a mediocre .905. He'll need to find consistency throughout 2018-19 if the Lightning are to live up to their billing as a strong Stanley Cup favorite. Louis Domingue stabilized in a backup role after being added from the Arizona Coyotes last season.

1. Nashville Predators

• Here it is – the NHL's most impressive blue line. Headlined by the underrated Roman Josi and recently extended Ryan Ellis. There's also defensive stalwart Mattias Ekholm and the exciting P.K. Subban. Once again, the Nashville Predators are a Stanley Cup favorite who will prove to be a handful for the opposition when coach Peter Laviolette calls on either of his top two pairings. There's also veteran blue-liner Dan Hamhuis, who is back in Nashville for a second stint. He can hold down a bottom pairing role, while Anthony Bitetto can also sub in when needed.

• It took 10 seasons, but Pekka Rinne finally laid claim to the Vezina Trophy last season on the back of a 42-win campaign. With the 35-year-old entering the 2018-19 campaign on the final year of his contract, he'll be looking to guide the Predators to the franchise's first Stanley Cup. While Rinne is no doubt on the back nine of his career, the Predators are in safe hands with budding Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros, who could see more action this season as the club readies for an eventual future without Rinne.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo has been suspended for the remainder of the preseason plus one regular-season game for elbowing Washington Capitals blue-liner Michal Kempny.

The incident occurred in preseason action Tuesday:

As a result of the suspension, Bortuzzo will not be available for the Blues' Oct. 4 season opener against the Winnipeg Jets.

In 72 games with St. Louis last season, Bortuzzo notched four goals and nine assists.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Brandon Davidson to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.

The 27-year-old had had been attending Chicago's training camp on a professional tryout offer.

Davidson suited up for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders in 2017-18.

"I think he's one of those defensemen I appreciate because he's real steady and predictable," head coach Joel Quenneville told ChicagoBlackhawks.com's Chris Wescott. "A little bit of everything, in every area, he's not bad in. I think that consistency is something and knowing what you're going to get out of a guy on the back end is usually a good sign."

There's opportunity for Davidson on the Blackhawks' bottom pairing, particularly with fellow defender Connor Murphy sidelined for at least eight weeks.

In 152 career appearances, Davidson has tallied nine goals and 13 assists.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators will need their work boots to find the win column this season.

That's the message from head coach Guy Boucher, who emphasized that a strong work ethic will be the Senators' biggest weapon.

"We don't have enough (skills)," Boucher told reporters, per Sportsnet. "We have to say it like it is. I think it's good that the players recognize that we have some skill, but we're not going to win because we're going to over-skill Toronto or Tampa or those teams.

"We're going to be a young team with a few guys that are vets, but we're going to have to outwork teams to win a game. Plain and simple."

Boucher's message follows a rocky offseason in Ottawa that saw the team part with a number of key players, including scoring winger Mike Hoffman and former captain Erik Karlsson.

There'll be some new faces in the Senators' lineup this season, counting Mikkel Boedker, Chris Tierney, and potentially 2018 first-round pick Brady Tkachuk. All will be counted upon to play a critical role in Boucher's system.

Boucher is entering his third season behind the Senators bench - with his first two campaigns producing wildly different results. In 2016-17, he led his squad to within one goal of the Stanley Cup Final. However, it was a different story last season, as the Senators crashed to second-last place in the Eastern Conference with a 67-point finish.

Across five seasons with Ottawa and Tampa Bay, Boucher owns a 169-150-41 coaching record.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.