Category Archives: Hockey News

Penguins’ Jacques Martin would welcome heading coaching job

Just days after capturing the Stanley Cup as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jacques Martin is welcoming the idea of being a head coach once again.

The Penguins assistant coach joined TSN 1200 on Tuesday noting his desire to return as a bench boss, a job he has 17 years of experience in.

"I'd love to get another opportunity," Martin said, according to TSN 1200's Ian Mendes. "I've grown from my last stint in Montreal."

Martin last held a head coaching gig in 2011-12 after he was fired 32 games into his third season with Montreal Canadiens. Martin has a career coaching record of 613-481-119-81 in 1,294 games spent with the Canadiens, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, and St. Louis Blues.

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Jets GM not trying to trade Trouba

Winnipeg Jets general manager is putting rumors to bed.

With Jacob Trouba's entry-level contract set to expire July 1, speculation that the Jets might be looking to deal the 22-year-old have arisen, but Kevin Cheveldayoff says they are not true.

"Trying to trade Jacob Trouba?" Cheveldayoff said, according to Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press. "This is an interesting time of year. I've seen lots of different scenarios out there of teams that are pushing hard that I haven't even heard from and I've talked to different teams that have asked different questions that I've certainly asked myself. I'm not trying to trade anybody. I think in this game there's a distinct possibility that anybody can get traded.

"And again we've got some good young players here. We've got two of them that are up for contracts in Trouba and (Mark) Scheifele and we're going to do our best to get those contracts done and in the books. So trying to trade him? No."

Before Cheveldayoff deals with free agents, his focus will be on the draft where his team holds the second overall pick. However, the Jets already have their minds set barring any unforeseen changes.

"We've gone through a lot of the processes already and the list is getting pretty much in ink," he said. "I think you're still doing some due diligence. You can't watch any more hockey so the evaluation on the hockey side is essentially left to video.

"Unless something really dramatically makes a shift that you just don't see, and you saw some crazy things in the NFL draft this year, our minds are very set."

- with h/t to NBC Sports

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Watch: Kings fans celebrate 2016 Cup win on Jimmy Kimmel

The Pittsburgh Penguins are your 2016 Stanley Cup champions, unbeknownst to some Los Angeles Kings fans.

Following Pittsburgh's win over the San Jose Sharks, late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel sent his people out to the streets of Los Angeles to congratulate Kings fans on their team's Cup win.

Unfortunately, nay hilariously, some believed it and shared their feelings on the win.

- with H/T to Puck Daddy

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Impending free agent Andrew Ladd wants another chance at Stanley Cup

Andrew Ladd's reunion with the Chicago Blackhawks didn't go as planned, as the defending Cup champs were eliminated in the first round at the hands of the St. Louis Blues.

Ladd and his former team, the Winnipeg Jets, were far apart on a contract extension, so the 30-year-old was dealt before the trade deadline as a rental to the Blackhawks, whom he won a Cup with in 2010.

Now, with Chicago neck-deep in salary cap complications, it seems unlikely the Blackhawks can retain Ladd, so he's ready to test the market.

"Right now it's like you just want to get there. It seems like we've been waiting for quite some time to get the next contract," Ladd told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "It's exciting to think about the opportunities, (to) see who is interested."

However, Ladd has his eyes set on joining a contending team.

"First and foremost I want to play for a team that has a chance to win," he said. "I've kind of done the rebuild thing a little bit there in Winnipeg. At this point in my career I want another chance to win a Stanley Cup."

Ladd also mentioned location is important for him and his family.

Last season, the winger scored 25 goals and 21 assists split between the Jets and Blackhawks.

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Report: Avalanche willing to deal big names

The Colorado Avalanche appear to be open for business.

Report: Strong chance Avalanche's Barrie could be traded

After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, the club is looking to shake things up and - according to TSN's Darren Dreger - are willing to move just about anybody to do so.

"No, it's not just noise," Dreger said on TSN 1040, according to Chris Nichols of Today's Slapshot. "I know that Joe Sakic has told NHL general managers that he's willing to listen and willing to deal any of those big guys like (Tyson) Barrie, like (Matt) Duchene. But it's got to be part of something big. Something significant.

"And look, we're getting close to the place where the freedom and flexibility to make those type of deals is probably best than it is at any point in the season, and that's on the draft floor or right before the draft."

Dreger insists he picked the brains of those around the club and the sense is that nearly anybody could be had short of Nathan MacKinnon.

"I had a couple of people during my Stanley Cup run here, guys I trust who are pretty deeply connected to the Avalanche, say that the sense is that they're willing to move just about anyone outside of Nathan MacKinnon.

"I find that to be a bit hard to believe, but Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche are big-game hunting. They know that they've got to do something fairly significant to turn this organization around, and the only way you can do that is by being bold and making some moves."

The Avalanche could use help at all positions. The team finished 20th in the league with 2.59 goals per game this season and 25th with 2.93 goals against per game. The team also generated the 25th most shots per game and allowed the third most.

All eyes are sure to be on Colorado in the coming weeks.

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Agent: All signs point to Kyle Okposo hitting free agency

Kyle Okposo's agent is preparing to receive offers for the coveted winger.

Pat Brisson, who represents the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, confirmed to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN that he recently spoke to the New York Islanders about a new deal, but it appears as though general manager Garth Snow will allow Okposo to test the open market.

"All indications are that we're headed to free agency with Kyle," Brisson said.

Okposo, who was drafted seventh overall by the Islanders in 2006, is on the heels of a string of strong seasons, averaging 0.87 points per game since the beginning of 2013-14.

The 28-year-old is coming off a five-year contract that carried a cap hit of $2.8 million, a valuation that will rise significantly on his next deal.

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Consulted Ducks players ‘unbelievably supportive’ of Randy Carlyle hire

Randy Carlyle's former pupils may have been the deciding factor in his return to an NHL bench.

Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray, in his reintroducing of Carlyle to the media Tuesday, revealed his tenured stars were in complete support, even pressuring him to facilitate the head coach's return.

Only a handful of players were around during the coach's initial tenure; Anaheim's seen substantial turnover since. Yet, the players who were around - Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry - have been unable to reproduce the same success in his absence. The trio won a Stanley Cup in 2007 when Getzlaf and Perry were second-year professionals.

As an aside, it doesn't appear former Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney was consulted.

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Ducks’ Nate Thompson suffers ruptured Achilles during workout

Nate Thompson's offseason just got considerably longer.

The Anaheim Ducks forward ruptured his Achilles during a workout session and is out indefinitely, Ducks general manager Bob Murray announced Tuesday.

Murray said Anaheim "would be lucky" to have him back in the lineup before next season's trade deadline.

Shoulder surgery limited Thompson to 49 games for the Ducks in 2015-16, in which he only scored three goals and three assists.

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Gretzky advocates for NHL to retire Howe’s No. 9

There's only one number retired across the NHL: Wayne Gretzky's No. 99.

It's widely known The Great One donned 99 to honor his childhood idol, Gordie Howe, whose No. 9 is equally as famous.

Howe's passing came late in the playoffs, and it's likely the NHL will honor his immeasurable stature throughout next season, but If it were up to Gretzky, no one would ever wear the number again.

"I'm pretty biased, if I had my way I would do it," Gretzky told reporters at Howe's visitation Tuesday. "That's for the league, I'm not involved in the league right now. I'm sure whatever they choose to do is going to be very special, because Gordie deserves something really special and unique.

"I don't think anybody helped promote the game, the sport or our country better than Gordie Howe. He was proud to be Canadian, he was proud of being from Saskatchewan. And I don't think the NHL is going to overlook how important he was to the game. I'm sure they're going to do something really special for him."

Howe's No. 9 is iconic as they come, but it's also been worn by Hall of Fame legends Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Bobby Hull, Johnny Bucyk and Mike Modano, among others inspired by Mr. Hockey.

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