Category Archives: Hockey News

Rangers, Miller avoid arbitration; agree to reported 2-year deal

The New York Rangers and J.T. Miller avoided arbitration by coming to terms on a new contract, the team announced Wednesday.

While the terms were not disclosed, Tim Wharnsby of CBC.ca reports it's a two-year deal that will pay him $2.5 million next season and $2.75 million in 2017-18.

After managing just 15 goals and 33 points during his first three years in the league, Miller broke out this season scoring 22 goals and 43 points in 82 games.

The 23-year-old was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing Aug. 2.

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Las Vegas franchise names George McPhee GM

Las Vegas' NHL franchise named longtime Washington Capitals executive George McPhee the club's first general manager Wednesday.

"I was looking for a guy who was going to (have a) dedicated, take-no-prisoners, want-to-win attitude," said owner Bill Foley during a press conference, according to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "This has been an exhaustive process. George had all the components I was looking for."

McPhee steps into the job after serving as general manager of the Capitals from 1997-2014. He helped Washington capture the Southeast Division seven times, while also making a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season.

He most recently spent time with the New York Islanders, with whom he served as a special advisor to general manager Garth Snow.

While his team will be constructed from scratch via an expansion draft, McPhee is already setting high expectations.

"Our mission is clear, we're going to build a team Las Vegas can be proud of. Our goal is simple - to win the Stanley Cup," McPhee said. "We'll do our homework, scout everybody, and select the right players.

"I want to win now, too. We may have an opportunity other expansion teams haven't had before to put a successful team on the ice."

McPhee's first piece of business will be to fill out the rest of his staff, a process he says will begin next week. As for the team's coach, that decision will be a more lengthy process.

"We can take our time with that," he said.

Las Vegas will join league play for the 2017-18 season.

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Report: Canadiens part ways with analytics specialist

The Montreal Canadiens are moving on from one of their statistics experts.

Analytics specialist Matt Pfeffer has been let go, a source told Sportsnet's Eric Engels on Wednesday.

Pfeffer's one-year contract was not renewed, but the Canadiens told Engels they'll be "pursuing other options" regarding analytics hires.

He was hired as a consultant last July, although he wasn't technically a team employee. Before joining the Canadiens, he worked with the San Jose Sharks, Hockey Canada, and the OHL's Ottawa 67's.

The reported move could be another sign that Montreal is prioritizing physicality over puck possession and speed after a disastrous season caused chiefly by a long-term injury to Hart Trophy winner Carey Price.

Two days before the start of free agency, the Canadiens traded beloved blue-liner - and possession darling - P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber.

A day before that, the Canadiens signed forward Andrew Shaw to a six-year contract after acquiring him from the Chicago Blackhawks on draft night.

That same night, Montreal traded Lars Eller, a solid possession player, to the Washington Capitals for a pair of second-round picks.

General manager Marc Bergevin doesn't want to talk about the Subban trade any more, but this is just another in a series of moves that will keep the questions coming.

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Oilers sign 1st-round pick Puljujarvi to entry-level deal

The Edmonton Oilers have locked up first-round draft pick Jesse Puljujarvi to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Puljujarvi was selected fourth overall in June's draft after recording 28 points in 50 games in the Finnish Elite League, as well as earning a gold medal at the World Junior Chmapionship in January.

The 18-year-old winger was left out of Oilers development camp to rehab a knee injury, but is expected to crack Edmonton's lineup come October.

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Red Wings catch ‘Teemu Pokemon’

Gotta sign 'em all.

The Detroit Red Wings became the latest pro sports team to get in on the Pokemon GO craze, announcing they'd caught one of their very own.

Related: Sacramento Kings hosting Pokemon GO meetup

The Red Wings signed forward Teemu Pulkkinen to a new deal Wednesday, and this is how they revealed it.

Whether it was a case of auto-correct or a brilliant use of SEO, the club made a tongue-in-cheek correction shortly thereafter.

Then, perhaps predictably, the Columbus Blue Jackets chimed in.

The only players left to "catch" for the Red Wings are defenseman Danny DeKeyser and goaltender Petr Mrazek, but Detroit only has about $3.3 million in cap space.

They may take a step back next season, but at least they won the internet for a day.

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Devils’ Hall switches to No. 9, looking forward to new chapter

No. 4, no more.

Taylor Hall, acquired by the New Jersey Devils in a blockbuster trade that sent Adam Larsson to the Edmonton Oilers, is ready to switch things up, opting to wear No. 9 when his career in Newark begins next season.

The Devils equipment manager, Rich Matthews, tweeted a video Wednesday morning unveiling Hall's new digs.

Wearing No. 4 in New Jersey wasn't an option for Hall, as the number is retired within the organization, honoring Hall of Fame defenseman and former team captain Scott Stevens.

However, Hall was after something new anyway.

"Obviously. the number four was retired here," Hall told Julie Robenhymer of Devils.NHL.com. "But even if it wasn't retired, I'm not sure that I would have kept the number four. In choosing number nine, I'm looking for a fresh start."

The annals of NHL history has a long list of legendary No. 9s - Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, and Mike Modano to name a few - which played a role in Hall's decision.

"There have been a lot of great players that have worn the number nine and I want to add to that list," Hall said. "I think in sports you can get too caught up in trying to prove people wrong or that you deserve something and it ends up taking away from the player that you are. I'm not trying to change anything in that way, but I'm looking forward to a fresh start and an exciting opportunity in New Jersey."

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