The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Jeff Petry to a four-year extension carrying an annual cap hit of $6.25 million, the team announced Friday.
Petry's current contract, which carried a $5.5-million cap hit, was set to expire after next season. His new deal begins in 2021-22 and runs through the 2024-25 campaign.
The 32-year-old is coming off his three most productive seasons. He tallied 11 goals and 40 points in 71 contests this past campaign. Petry also added two goals - including an overtime winner - and one assist in 10 playoff games.
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We dropped our first pick in awhile in Game 3, falling to 9-3-1 since the start of Round 3. It sure would have been nice to know about Steven Stamkos' return at the time of writing.
Let's bounce back in Game 4.
Tampa Bay Lightning (-160) at Dallas Stars (+140)
While the return of Stamkos had a galvanizing effect on the Lightning offense - he scored the game's second goal in a 5-2 win - it was also clouded by yet another injury. The forward managed just five shifts on 2:47 of ice time before leaving the game at the end of the first period and not returning.
That's put a cloud of doubt over his Game 4 status, which makes it tough to appropriately pick a side here. Obviously if Stamkos is deemed healthy enough to participate tonight we have to assume he's going to be a full go - this isn't the time to trot out decoys on the ice.
What we do know though is that if the Stars want to get into a run-and-gun affair with the Bolts, they're going to lose the Stanley Cup Final. That's not a slight to Dallas' forward group, but rather a testament to just how deep this Tampa team is. The Stars will need to focus on tightening things up again in Game 4 and playing to their strong suit.
It was also an off night for Anton Khudobin, who allowed 2.83 goals above expected. With a bounce back from the determined Stars netminder, and a shift in approach from the team in front of him, we can expect a much tighter contest on Friday night.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
Patrik Laine is one of the league's most intriguing young stars. He's still just 22 years old and has shown the potential to be one of the league's most dangerous goal-scorers, ranking seventh in the league with 138 tallies since his NHL debut in 2016.
After signing a two-year bridge deal last season, Laine showed up in 2019-20 with an improved 200-foot game and registered a career-high 35 assists while potting 28 goals. However, the Winnipeg Jets are reportedly considering trading Laine to address other needs on their roster.
Here's a look at some of the teams that could try to acquire the 2016 second overall pick.
Colorado Avalanche
Brian Babineau / National Hockey League / Getty
With a stacked crop of young talent and plenty of cap space, the Avalanche can't be ruled out as players in any scenario. It wouldn't be a surprise to see general manager Joe Sakic pursue Taylor Hall in free agency, but Laine would certainly make sense if the team looks to add a younger winger at a lower cost.
The Avalanche have over $22 million in projected cap space but have several players in line for new deals, including restricted free-agent rearguards Nikita Zadorov and Ryan Graves. Both players would add some much-needed size and grit to the Jets' back end, but a potential swap would likely be contingent on either agreeing to a new contract.
Tyson Jost and Nazem Kadri are intriguing options at center and could interest Winnipeg with veteran pivot Bryan Little's career in jeopardy. Jost would replace Laine's youth, while Kadri would give the Jets a strong two-way center who's in his prime.
What a deal could look like:
Avalanche acquire
Jets acquire
F Patrik Laine
D Ryan Graves/Nikita Zadorov
D Connor Timmins
F Tyson Jost
Carolina Hurricanes
Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty
The Hurricanes have one of the deepest defensive corps in the NHL - and now depth down the middle, too, with Vincent Trocheck's arrival - so it's no surprise they've reportedly expressed an interest in acquiring Laine. The Hurricanes can easily fill the Jets' needs.
Trocheck is two seasons removed from recording 31 goals and 75 points with the Florida Panthers and has proven he has what it takes to serve as a team's dependable No. 2 center. The 27-year-old has two seasons remaining on his deal with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million, and he fits Winnipeg's win-now mentality.
It would be tough for the Hurricanes to part ways with defenseman Brett Pesce, but the 25-year-old has played increasingly well since his debut in 2015 and would surely be an attractive player to the Jets. With a deep defensive group that includes Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin, the Hurricanes would be able to withstand the loss and continue moving forward as one of the league's more exciting teams.
What a deal could look like:
Hurricanes acquire
Jets acquire
F Patrik Laine
F Vincent Trocheck
D Brett Pesce
Columbus Blue Jackets
Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The Blue Jackets have also reportedly shown interest in Laine already, and we saw last postseason what the club's core is capable of when paired with high-end offensive talent.
Columbus still managed to knock out the high-powered Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round this year despite losing Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene to free agency last offseason, and adding a winger of Laine's ilk could be what the team needs to make a deep playoff run.
Seth Jones isn't going anywhere, nor is Zach Werenski, but the Blue Jackets still have a couple of blue-liners who could serve as a serious upgrade for Winnipeg. David Savard would be the most realistic starting point, but the 29-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent after 2020-21, which adds an element of risk for the Jets. Columbus could work out a sign-and-trade to give the Jets some assurance, and also add another impact player or a draft pick.
What a deal could look like:
Blue Jackets acquire
Jets acquire
F Patrik Laine
D David Savard
F Josh Anderson
2021 3rd-round pick
New Jersey Devils
Andy Marlin / National Hockey League / Getty
The Devils boast one of the league's youngest teams, headlined by No. 1 picks Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. The 22-year-old Laine could be the player who helps propel the Devils back to their former status as a perennial contender.
New Jersey has two defensemen who can fill Winnipeg's needs. The first is P.K. Subban, who's coming off his worst season but is also a past Norris Trophy winner. Despite carrying an annual cap hit of $9 million, Subban is owed only $10 million in actual money over the next two seasons, which makes his high cap hit easier to swallow.
The second option is Damon Severson. The 26-year-old has proven he can contribute offensively - he recorded 19 goals and 70 points in 151 games over the past two seasons - and could settle in nicely on Winnipeg's second pairing.
New Jersey would ultimately have Pavel Zacha to offer as a center. Still just 23 years old, Zacha was selected with the sixth pick in the 2015 draft but has failed to find his footing in the NHL, as he has just 37 goals and 108 points in 266 games.
The Devils are an intriguing landing spot for Laine, but they'd likely need to part with one of their three first-round picks in 2020 to sweeten the deal.
What a deal could look like:
Devils acquire
Jets acquire
F Patrik Laine
D Damon Severson
F Pavel Zacha
2020 1st-round pick (via Vancouver)
Minnesota Wild
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty
The Wild are one of the most adept defensive teams in the league, and adding a lethal scorer such as Laine would undoubtedly take them to the next level. General manager Bill Guerin has made it known that the club wants to add a first- or second-line center, but Minnesota has only two right-shot forwards in its lineup, so acquiring another player with that tendency wouldn't be an awful Plan B.
Matt Dumba's name has been tossed around in trade rumors, and the 26-year-old would make for a strong starting point in Guerin's bid. Dumba has three years remaining on his current deal, which carries an annual cap hit of $6 million. Perhaps adding a second-round pick that converts to a first-rounder if Laine signs with the Wild beyond 2020-21 could sweeten the pot.
The Winnipeg Jets are entertaining the possibility of trading star forward Patrik Laine, TSN's Darren Dreger reported during Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."
"Absolutely they're serious. ... The Winnipeg Jets know what their needs are," Dreger said. "They need a No. 2 center and they need to bolster the top four on their blue line. Kevin Cheveldayoff, the general manager there, can't solely rely on free agency."
"One way or another, Kevin Cheveldayoff is listening on Patrik Laine," Dreger added.
The Jets selected the winger with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. Since his debut as a rookie during the 2016-17 season, he ranks seventh in the league in goals with 138.
Laine inked a two-year bridge deal last season that carries an average annual value of $6.5 million. He'll be a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
During the 2019-20 regular season, Laine recorded 28 goals and a career-high 35 assists in 68 games.
Hornqvist, 33, has three years remaining on his current deal, which carries an annual cap hit of $5.3 million.
The gritty Swede was on pace to eclipse the 20-goal mark over 82 games for the eighth time of his career this season after recording 17 goals and 32 points through 52 contests. Hornqvist captured back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, scoring the championship-clinching goal in the latter year.
Matheson, 26, is under contract through the 2025-26 campaign and carries an annual cap hit of $4.88 million. The 6-foot-2 rearguard recorded eight goals and 12 assists through 59 games this season.
The Penguins' acquisition of Matheson comes just weeks after general manager Jim Rutherford said the club would be moving on from defenseman Justin Schultz. The pending unrestricted free agent's latest deal was worth $5.5 million annually.
Sceviour, 31, contributed six goals and 16 points while ranking third on the Panthers with 91 hits in 69 games this season. He has one year remaining at $1.2 million on his current deal.
The trade marks Bill Zito's first splash as the Panthers' GM. Florida hired the 56-year-old on Sept. 2 after mutually parting ways with Dale Tallon in August.
Despite a playoff run full of off-ice drama and an uncertain future with the club, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury hopes to remain with the Vegas Golden Knights for the rest of his NHL tenure.
"I want to stay in Vegas," Fleury told The Athletic's Jesse Granger. "I don’t know what the future holds, but I've loved every moment since I got here."
He added: "This team means a lot to me, and the city has been so good to me. The fans, and (owner Bill Foley) have been so awesome. It's a great team, and I thought when I came here that maybe I could retire here. I wanted to end my career here."
Fleury has been the Golden Knights' backbone since joining the expansion franchise from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. He signed a three-year, $21-million contract with Vegas the following summer, but his future in Sin City grew murky when the Golden Knights acquired Robin Lehner prior to this season's trade deadline.
Lehner eventually took over as the club's postseason starter, and the dynamic between the two netminders came into question after Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, tweeted a picture of a sword inscribed with head coach Peter DeBoer's name stabbing his client through the back.
Vegas reportedly plans to sign Lehner, a pending unrestricted free agent, to a new deal this offseason - potentially making Fleury expendable in a trade. Fleury hopes that isn't the case.
"I get along great with Robin, so I think it would be all right," he said of another time-share in goal next season. "I still love to play. I don't think I just want to be a backup, but I'll practice hard, try to play well, and hopefully get some games, but it always comes down to the coach's decision.
"Whatever happens, happens. And that's fine. I'll just try my best to come to camp in good shape and do well from there."
Fleury, who turns 36 on Nov. 28, has posted a 91-50-14 record along with a .915 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average in three seasons with the Golden Knights.
