The NHL is eyeing a matinee NHL Heritage Classic game between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs in Hamilton, Ontario, this season, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.

The target date is March 13. Toronto and Buffalo were previously scheduled to play an afternoon game that day at the KeyBank Center, but the contest was absent from the Sabres' two half-season ticket options revealed last week.

The game would be held at Tim Hortons Field, which plays host to the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. It has a capacity of about 23,000 but can be expanded to approximately 40,000 for special events. The Sabres would be the home team.

Two outdoor games are scheduled for next season so far; the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues will square off in the pandemic-postponed Winter Classic, while the Nashville Predators face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stadium Series.

The Canada-based Heritage Classic was most recently held in Saskatchewan in 2019. The Leafs are the only Canadian team who haven't participated in the Heritage Classic, but they've played in three outdoor games.

Including the inaugural Winter Classic in 2008, the Sabres have played in two outdoor contests.

Back in June, the NHL announced plans to schedule a Tim Hortons Heritage Classic in March 2022. If the game is played between the Sabres and Leafs, Buffalo would be the first non-Canadian team to participate.

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No matter what happens between New York and Washington Capitals pest Tom Wilson next season, new Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant is confident his side can remain cool.

"It's not going to overtake the team," Gallant said, according to Larry Brooks of The New York Post. "Fortunately for me, I got the opportunity to be the coach and we're going to change it a little bit, the way the team is going to play and respond to issues like that. I don’t think they're going to happen anymore."

Wilson infamously punched Pavel Buchnevich while he was down and rag-dolled a helmetless Artemi Panarin during a tense contest on May 3. A fight-filled affair followed two days later, and Brendan Smith made sure to drop the gloves with Wilson.

The Rangers' offseason additions - namely Ryan Reaves and Barclay Goodrow - will undoubtedly add some grit to the team's lineup and help protect its stars this season.

"You knew whoever was going to be with the Rangers this year was going to change the complexion of the team a little bit, there was no doubt," Gallant said.

The Rangers are set to face off against Wilson and the Capitals in their first game of the season on Oct. 13. Gallant, who didn't like what he saw from the "hard-nosed" Wilson during that May 3 contest, said the Rangers will likely address their recent history with Washington before puck drop.

"I think our team is going to play a good, solid game and we've got the guys who are going to play a physical game and a good brand of hockey. That's the brand that wins hockey games when you can get your top players playing the way they want to play and don't have to worry about stuff," he said. "That's going to go a long way with the New York Rangers hockey team this year."

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Count Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher among those who are less than enthused about how the team’s 2020-21 campaign shook out.

"I can't live through another year like last year. It took years off my life and everybody else's. It's not worth it," Fletcher said, according to the Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

The Flyers finished second in the Metropolitan Division during the 2019-20 campaign and made it to the second round of the playoffs. Philadelphia looked primed for similar success the following year, but instead, the club ended up sixth in the realigned East Division and failed to qualify for the postseason.

As a result, Fletcher saw a need to shake things up in a major way.

"At the end of the last season, I vowed that we would make changes and that it was unacceptable, and I think I was true to my word," he said. "We were aggressively looking to change our team. We've made a lot of changes. We like to think we've upgraded our club, and time will tell."

Among the most notable additions to the Flyers’ roster are defensemen Ryan Ellis, Keith Yandle, and Rasmus Ristolainen, forward Cam Atkinson, and goaltender Martin Jones. Meanwhile, Nolan Patrick, Philippe Myers, Robert Hagg, Shayne Gostisbehere, Jakub Voracek, and Brian Elliott are no longer reporting for duty in Philly.

The Flyers' offseason business didn't stop there - on Thursday, the team signed franchise mainstay Sean Couturier to an eight-year, $62 million extension.

"Sean's our best hockey player right now, and he's the key guy. And if Sean had left, that would've changed the direction of the franchise," Fletcher said of the deal. "To lock him up was incredibly important for the short and long term."

In addition to turning things around, Fletcher and the organization also have captain Claude Giroux's future to think about. The 33-year-old forward will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

"At this point, our plan is to play the season out, and we'll talk at the end of the season. I think we're both comfortable with that," Fletcher said, per NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "Claude is our captain, he's a great player, and I'm sure we'll find a way to continue that relationship going forward."

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Staring down a brand new season with the Carolina Hurricanes, goaltender Frederik Andersen took a moment to fondly contemplate his time in the city where he spent the last half-decade.

Well, except for one glaring thing.

"I'm obviously not happy with what we accomplished in the playoffs. Everyone knows that we wanted more out of that, especially this year. We had a really good team," the former Toronto Maple Leafs netminder said Thursday on "Good Show" with Sportsnet's JD Bunkis.

The underperforming Maple Leafs were bounced in the first round of the playoffs in four of Andersen's five seasons; during the 2019-20 postseason, the Columbus Blue Jackets eliminated the squad before the opening round even began.

The 31-year-old bore the brunt of the criticism as Toronto struggled for a whiff of playoff success, but Andersen didn't mind the harsh spotlight.

"(Goaltenders) always get probably more of the credit than we deserve, same goes with the blame. That's just something that comes with the territory," Andersen said. "I never really felt that it was too unfair, I had pretty high expectations for myself ... I think, in general, fans appreciated me. I definitely appreciated the time in Toronto as well."

Andersen's ride with the Leafs ended unceremoniously. He started 23 games and played through injury this past campaign as both he and breakout goaltender Jack Campbell struggled to stay healthy.

"The way I dealt with things, playing through pain like that and injury, it wasn't the best idea long-term, looking back," he said. "I definitely don't think I was making the right move in trying to keep playing."

Andersen didn't see any game action during Toronto's first-round exit against the Montreal Canadiens, which he said "was obviously not fun," but added that he respected the coaching staff's decision to run with Campbell.

In his first three seasons as a Leaf, Andersen was notoriously one of the busiest goalies in the league, starting an average of 64 games per campaign and leading his position with 6,221 shots faced.

"Over those five years, I felt like I left it all out there for Toronto, and it just doesn't always go the way you're imagining it. That’s how sports are," he said.

Andersen inked a two-year deal worth $9 million with the Hurricanes in July and said he is ready to start his new chapter.

"Toronto never really became that serious to offering anything," he said. "I was just really grateful and happy that I was able to go to a good team like Carolina.

"A breath of fresh air would be good, so that's really what I look forward to instead of looking too far backward," Andersen added.

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After dealing with severe complications from COVID-19, Marco Rossi is on the comeback trail.

He first hopes to help his home nation of Austria qualify for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and then he'll look to secure his place on the Minnesota Wild's 2021-22 roster.

"I know I haven't played a lot of games in the last year, year and a half, but now that I can see my fitness level and my shape, I know I'm better in shape than a lot of NHL players," Rossi, the Wild's 2020 ninth overall pick, told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "I see no doubt about that I can play in the NHL. I know I can play there. I know how good I am, but I have to prove myself in a training camp that I'm ready for that. I know it's going to be up to me to show I'm ready to play right away."

Rossi was diagnosed with COVID-19 in November 2020 while with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. He experienced only mild symptoms at the time and was cleared to play in the world juniors, at which point his condition worsened.

He reported to Minnesota in January for training camp after the tournament and failed a cardiac screening. Rossi was diagnosed with myocarditis - an inflammation of the heart - and shut down for the 2020-21 season.

In April, the 19-year-old said he was "just happy" to be alive.

Now, Rossi is back for his first game action since December; he sniped a power-play goal during Austria's Sunday friendly match against Italy ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.

"All the memories came into my mind from the past. I went through a really tough time. When I scored that goal, I was so relieved. The goal means a lot to me because it gives me more confidence that I'm healthy again," the center said.

Rossi can impress the Wild and prove he doesn't need a conditioning stint in the AHL during training camp next month, all while celebrating his 20th birthday on Sept. 23.

For now, Rossi's got a busy schedule ahead of him: Austria plays Slovakia on Thursday, Belarus on Friday, and Poland on Sunday.

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Unrestricted free-agent goaltender Tuukka Rask once again reiterated his desire to stay with the Boston Bruins.

Rask said Wednesday during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon that he has "no reason to chase the money anymore and go somewhere else."

"I've been so lucky to be a part of one team in the NHL. For me, it's about that pride of playing for one team and one team only," Rask said. "It's going to be one of those things that I feel the Bruins is my home, Boston's my home. I've always wanted to play here and wanted to stay here."

With an estimated $61.6 million of career earnings, according to CapFriendly, Rask said he isn't looking for a "$7-million contract" and that he'd be a "cheap goalie" for Boston.

"I just like to help the team out," he said. "I'm a veteran goalie and there's some young guys coming in, so whatever I can do to help the guys out, I would do it and end my career as a Bruin."

He added: "There's a few guys now, like (Patrice Bergeron) and (Brad Marchand) ... we've played entire careers together. I feel like it would be a shame to go somewhere and try to chase something dollar-wise or trophy-wise when you have a chance to finish your career with the same group that you started (with)."

The longtime Bruins goaltender won't be able to suit up until January regardless of where he plays. The 34-year-old is rehabbing from offseason hip surgery, which he said went "perfect." Rask estimates that he can begin skating in about a month and a half.

"We'll see how my rehab goes and then we'll hopefully sign a contract," he said.

The Finnish netminder said his camp isn't in active talks with Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, but he believes they are on the same page.

Jeremy Swayman, 22, and new addition Linus Ullmark are expected to share goaltending duties for the Bruins to begin the season.

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Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes has died at the age of 31, according to his alma mater Boston College, and The Boston Globe, which cites a Milton, Massachusetts, law enforcement official.

No cause of death has been made available.

Hayes suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils over seven seasons. He had 109 points in 334 games played.

A second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008, Hayes was traded to the Blackhawks in 2010 and made his NHL debut Dec. 30, 2011. He scored his first goal in his second career game.

Hayes played his final NHL game with the Devils on April 7, 2018. He signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Penguins afterward and ended his professional career with Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in the 2018-19 season.

The Dorchester, Massachusetts, native spent three years at Boston College and won an NCAA hockey championship with the team in 2010.

Hayes was the older brother of Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes. He leaves behind his wife, Kristen, and two young sons.

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Jaden Schwartz found himself at a crossroads before the start of the 2020-21 season following the unexpected death of his father last November.

"I didn't even know if I was going to come back," the newly signed Seattle Kraken forward told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "This past year was pretty tough on me and my family. I didn't have much motivation to play and didn't really have time to train."

In addition to his father's death, the Saskatchewan native had to quarantine back home.

"It was a lot on me. I wasn't in a very good place," Schwartz said. "It's tough leaving your family and friends behind and not being there for them and not having them to be around me, either."

Although Schwartz, who was with the St. Louis Blues last season, almost decided not to play and forfeit his $4-million salary, he wanted to step up for the people around him.

“I wanted to be there for my teammates," he said. "I knew my mom and family really enjoyed watching me play hockey, and my dad would have wanted me to go back and play. I mostly did it for them, but it wasn't easy. I think my teammates knew that I wasn't at 100%."

Schwartz finished the campaign with just eight goals and 21 points in 40 contests. He missed 16 games due to an oblique injury and didn't register a point in the Blues' first-round loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

"I tried to do everything I could, but mentally and physically, I wasn't where I needed to be," Schwartz said. "It was the toughest year I've ever had in my life. I know I didn't finish well with the Blues, and that sucks, but I wasn't mentally ready for an NHL season at all."

After spending the first 10 campaigns of his career in St. Louis, Schwartz is more than ready to begin a new chapter in Seattle.

"I'm doing a lot better now," Schwartz said. "Mentally, I'm in a better spot, and I was able to train. I feel fresh again."

He added: "Seattle is such a good city, and being part of an expansion team in the new city is pretty special."

Schwartz signed a five-year deal worth $27.5 million with the Kraken earlier this offseason.

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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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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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