The Ottawa Senators have signed general manager Pierre Dorion to an extension through the 2024-25 campaign. The new deal also includes a team option for the 2025-26 season.

"We're very pleased to sign Pierre to a second extension as Senators general manager," Sens owner Eugene Melnyk said. "Dating to when he was named GM in 2016, Pierre has worked tirelessly toward building an organization that can compete with the National Hockey League's best.

"He's dedicated, detailed, and (he) maintains a sound hockey mind. Under Pierre's leadership, we have the utmost confidence that this team will soon be recognized as one that is consistently meriting success."

The Senators made it to the conference finals in Dorion's first season as GM in 2016-17. After a disappointing 2017-18 campaign, he's used his scouting background to help build one of the league's strongest prospect pipelines.

Dorion, an Ottawa native, ranks third in team history with 149 wins as GM, trailing only John Muckler (240) and Bryan Murray (339).

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Former Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen has signed a one-year deal with the KHL's Spartak Moscow.

Virtanen spent six seasons in Vancouver after the Canucks selected him sixth overall in 2014. He enjoyed a career year in 2019-20, tallying 18 goals and 18 assists over 69 games. However, he recorded just five points across 38 contests last season.

The 25-year-old was sued for sexual assault in May. The Canucks placed him on leave for the rest of the season before buying out the remainder of his contract in July.

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It seems the Ottawa Senators and restricted free-agent forward Brady Tkachuk are progressing in the right direction regarding a new contract.

The Senators hope to agree on a long-term deal with Tkachuk before training camp begins on Sept. 22, according to the Ottawa Suns' Bruce Garrioch.

Tkachuk's camp and Ottawa reportedly discussed a new contract as late as last Friday and will likely continue negotiating this week. There hasn't been any animosity between the two sides throughout the talks, adds Garrioch.

General manager Pierre Dorion said Friday the sides have held "productive discussions," per The Athletics' Ian Mendes.

The Senators drafted Tkachuk fourth overall in 2018. The 21-year-old winger posted 36 points across 56 contests last season, which translates to 53 points over an 82-game campaign.

Ottawa is looking to name a captain for the 2021-22 season. Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot are among the leading candidates for the honor.

Tkachuk isn't the only restricted free agent left on the Senators' roster, as the club will also have to decide on Logan Brown. The 23-year-old reportedly hasn't signed his qualifying offer, and both sides agree the forward could use a change of scenery.

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No Montreal Canadiens player will wear the "C" for the 2021-22 campaign, general manager Marc Bergevin announced Monday.

Weber won't play this season due to ankle, foot, knee, and thumb injuries. His playing career is likely over.

The 36-year-old served as captain for three seasons, taking over following Max Pacioretty's departure in 2018.

The Habs last went without a captain during the 2014-15 campaign after Brian Gionta left as a free agent.

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The Montreal Canadiens might've thought harder about matching the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet if Christian Dvorak wasn't available to them on the trade block, general manager Marc Bergevin said Monday.

Bergevin added that the lucrative one-year deal Kotkanemi signed with the Carolina Hurricanes also played a role.

"Would we have loved to have kept (Kotkaniemi)? Of course," Bergevin said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "But not at $6.1 million and not with Christian Dvorak available to us."

Bergevin added that matching the offer sheet would've affected the team's future cap management with "players we wanted to keep" moving forward, TSN's John Lu reports. Kotkanemi's qualifying offer for next season will be $6.1 million.

The Canadiens received a first-round pick and third-rounder from the Canes for not matching the one-year, $6.1-million offer sheet for Kotkaniemi. Montreal then flipped a first- and second-rounder to the Arizona Coyotes for Dvorak.

Dvorak, 25, has four years remaining on his contract carrying a $4.45-million cap hit. He recorded 17 goals and 14 assists in 56 contests last season while averaging 18:24 of ice time per game.

Bergevin is excited to see how Dvorak's reliable, two-way game translates to the Canadiens.

"He won't wow you but he's detailed, plays an honest game," Bergevin said. "He'll have 'different wingers' (that is, more skilled) than he did in Arizona."

Bergevin also said the club was proposing a two-year bridge deal to Kotkaniemi at a price lower than the offer sheet.

Kotkaniemi, 21, tallied just five goals and 15 assists in 56 games this past season. He's failed to meet expectations since being taken third overall in the 2018 draft.

Bergevin added that, in hindsight, it would've been beneficial to let Kotkaniemi play another year in Finland instead of bringing him to the NHL as an 18-year-old in 2018-19.

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Those wondering how the Carolina Hurricanes planned to fit newcomer Jesperi Kotkaniemi under the salary cap now have an answer.

The Hurricanes will place defenseman Jake Gardiner on long-term injured reserve when he undergoes multiple procedures, thereby clearing space for Kotkaniemi's $6,100,015 cap hit before the season begins.

"We won't be in a (tight) cap situation," Carolina general manager Don Waddell said Sunday. "Gardiner, who's going to have back and hip surgery here, is not going to be ready to go this year. So we had cap space available knowing that he'll go on (LTIR)."

Gardiner was limited to 26 games and averaged a career-low 16:03 of ice time last season due to his injuries. He's played for the Hurricanes for the last two campaigns after spending his first eight with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 31-year-old is under contract through 2022-23 at a $4.05-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.

Carolina officially acquired Kotkaniemi on Saturday when the Montreal Canadiens elected not to match the Hurricanes' offer sheet. That move temporarily put them over the cap, a position they're allowed to be in until opening night.

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