Category Archives: Hockey News

Report: Predators, Blackhawks have shown interest in Perry

There has been mutual interest shown between the Nashville Predators and free-agent forward Corey Perry, according to sources of The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

The Chicago Blackhawks have also shown interest in the 34-year-old, another source told LeBrun.

Perry is not the top-tier scorer that he used to be, but he's still capable of producing when healthy. The veteran winger tallied 19 and 17 goals during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively, as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

The Predators scored the third-fewest goals among all playoff teams this past season and could benefit from the offensive upside that Perry supplies on the wing. The 2011 Hart Trophy winner could also provide the Predators with another option for a dismal power-play unit that ranked last in the NHL a season ago.

Scoring isn't the Blackhawks' problem these days, but with $16.2 million in projected cap space, adding another offensive threat to a skilled forward group could be something they consider.

Perry was bought out by the Ducks on Wednesday after spending the first 14 years of his career with the team. In a franchise-record 988 career games, Perry recorded 372 goals and 776 points.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Comprehensive guide to the 2019 NHL Draft

When

  • Friday, June 21, 8 p.m. ET (Round 1)
  • Saturday, June 22, 1 p.m. ET (Rounds 2-7)

Where

  • Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia

How to watch

United States

Date Channel Round
June 21 NBCSN 1
June 22 NHL Network 2-7

Canada

Date Channel Round
June 21 Sportsnet 1
June 22 Sportsnet 2-7

Draft order (Round 1)

Pick Team
1 Devils
2 Rangers
3 Blackhawks
4 Avalanche (from Senators)
5 Kings
6 Red Wings
7 Sabres
8 Oilers
9 Ducks
10 Canucks
11 Flyers
12 Wild
13 Panthers
14 Coyotes
15 Canadiens
16 Avalanche
17 Golden Knights
18 Stars
19 Senators (from Blue Jackets)
20 Jets (from Rangers)
21 Penguins
22 Kings (from Maple Leafs)
23 Islanders
24 Predators
25 Capitals
26 Flames
27 Lightning
28 Hurricanes
29 Ducks (from Sharks)
30 Bruins
31 Sabres (from Blues)

Player profiles

theScore
Photo illustration by Nick Roy / theScore

More draft content

Top prospects

Jack Hughes - Center, U.S. National Under-18 team

Hughes has elite short-area quickness, hands softer than butter, and a sky-high hockey IQ. He'll be a dynamic, playmaking offensive threat the minute he steps on the ice for his first NHL game, and has the potential to become a franchise player. Don't be fooled by his small stature.

Kaapo Kakko - Right Wing, TPS Liiga (Finland)

With such an impressive resume, Kakko predictably enters the draft as the top-ranked European skater, and he's expected to make the jump to the NHL immediately. Kakko is naturally gifted offensively, possesses a hard and accurate shot, and has showcased plenty of creativity to manufacture plays for his linemates.

Bowen Byram - Defenseman, Vancouver Giants

Byram is the consensus best defensive prospect in the draft and is projected by many to be a top-five pick. The blue-liner racked up more than a point per game in the regular season and led the WHL with 26 points in 22 playoff contests during his second full season with the Giants.

Kirby Dach - Center, Saskatoon Blades

Dach enters the draft as the third-ranked North American skater, and he has all the tools to become a prominent NHL center. He likely won't jump straight to the big leagues out of junior, but Dach immediately upgrades any team's prospect pool.

Alex Turcotte - Center, U.S. National Under 18 team

Turcotte is the fourth-ranked North American skater in the draft and projected to be taken in the top 10. The tenacious, two-way center plays the game at a high speed and possesses a strong hockey IQ. His elite skill set combined with a tireless work ethic and competitive edge help separate him from the pack.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Report: Penguins listening to offers for Letang

The Pittsburgh Penguins are listening to trade offers for defenseman Kris Letang, sources told The Athletic's Rob Rossi.

Pittsburgh has told interested teams that any potential deal would need to involve a package including an "impact player on a controllable contract and/or a projected future salary-cap hit that was reasonable," Rossi adds.

Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has already been active in trade talks since his club's playoff run ended in a first-round sweep. A deal that would have sent Phil Kessel to the Minnesota Wild was reportedly nixed by the veteran winger, and Rutherford went on to say he no longer expects to trade the sniper.

Letang continues to be a top defenseman when healthy and has spent his entire 13-year career in Pittsburgh. He notched 16 goals and 40 assists while averaging nearly 26 minutes per contest in 65 games last season.

The 32-year-old has three seasons remaining on his current contract, which carries a $7.25-million cap hit and an 18-team list of destinations he'd accept a trade to.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bettman confirms series of rule changes for 2019-20 season

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed a series of rule changes for the 2019-20 season. The alterations were approved by the league's Board of Governors, general managers, and competition committee.

The most prominent changes pertain to video reviews, which underwent significant modifications after several controversial calls throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Here's a look at the entire list of changes, per the NHL:

  • New category: In addition to coach’s challenge for “offside” and “interference on the goalkeeper,” a third category will allow for the coach’s challenge of goal calls on the ice that follow plays in the offensive zone that should have resulted in a play stoppage, but did not. This change will allow challenges of plays that may involve pucks that hit the spectator netting, pucks that are high-sticked to a teammate in the offensive zone, pucks that have gone out of play but are subsequently touched in the offensive zone, and hand passes that precede without a play stoppage and ultimately conclude in the scoring of a goal. Plays that entail “discretionary stoppages” (e.g. penalty calls) will not be subject to a coach’s challenge.
  • Penalties for unsuccessful challenges: The number of coach’s challenges that can be made will no longer be limited based on the availability of a team’s timeout. Teams will be permitted to exercise a coach’s challenge at any time, but with escalating “consequences” for unsuccessful challenges. The consequences of unsuccessful coach’s challenges will be made consistent across all three categories of coach’s challenges: (1) minor penalty for delaying the game on a club’s first unsuccessful coach’s challenge; and (2) double-minor penalty for delaying the game for each additional coach’s challenge that is unsuccessful. The Situation Room in Toronto will continue to be responsible for initiating video review in the final minute of regulation time and overtime as well as continue to have final authority over all coach’s challenge video review decisions with input and consultation from both the on-ice officials and a former official staffed in the Situation Room.
  • Major & match penalties: Referees will be required to conduct an on-ice video review for all major (non-fighting) and match penalties they assess on the ice for the purpose of: (a) “confirming” the penalty; or (b) “reducing” the penalty to a two-minute minor penalty. Referees shall not have the option to rescind a called penalty altogether. The referees will be provided with all available video to review their own calls but will not otherwise consult with the NHL Situation Room with respect to their review.
  • Double minor for high-sticking: Referees will have the ability to conduct an on-ice video review to confirm (or not) their original call on the ice, and, in particular, whether the stick causing the apparent injury was actually the stick of the player being penalized. The referee’s review of all high-sticking/double-minor penalties will be discretionary and not mandatory and will be conducted without consultation with the NHL Situation Room.

Other changes include:

  • Players having to leave the ice if their helmet falls off.
  • Teams being able to choose which faceoff circle to line up at on a power play and after icings.
  • Awarded goals if the net is deliberately displaced by a goaltender during a breakaway.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dubas: Not a ‘foregone conclusion’ Leafs match Marner offer sheet

If Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner is subject to an offer sheet this offseason, it's not a foregone conclusion his hometown club matches it, general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters Thursday, per TSN's Kristen Shilton.

"It would really depend on any of the players, not just one guy. We have a number of them. And if there were an offer sheet we would look at what they are and what the compensation is for our team and make the decision," Dubas said.

The other restricted free agents Dubas referred too are forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson.

Speculation about Marner's contract demands has been rampant in the early stages of the offseason. Additionally, the salary cap isn't expected to be as high as originally expected for the 2019-20 season.

In December, Dubas said he spends zero percent of his time worrying about offer sheets for his players, but more recently, claimed the Leafs are prepared should one come about.

An offer sheet on its own wouldn't be enough to pry Marner away from Toronto. The 22-year-old would need to sign it, and then the Leafs would be given a time period to match the offer or let the player walk for compensation.

Ryan O'Reilly was the last player to sign an offer sheet in 2013, and the last time one wasn't matched was Dustin Penner's offer sheet in 2007.

The Leafs have just over $7 million in projected cap space for next season without factoring Nathan Horton's $5.3 million that can be stashed on LTIR and potential trades that could help create more room.

Marner led the Leafs in scoring last season, setting a career high with 94 points in 82 games.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ducks sign Miller, Holzer, Grant to 1-year extensions

The Anaheim Ducks handed out a trio of one-year contract extensions on Friday, inking new deals with goaltender Ryan Miller, defenseman Korbinian Holzer, and forward Derek Grant, the team announced.

Miller, 38, served as Anaheim's backup netminder and posted a .912 save percentage across 20 games. His new deal carries an AAV worth $1.125 million, per The Athletic's Eric Stephens.

Holzer's deal is worth $850,000 and Grant's is worth $700,000, Stephens adds.

Holzer suited up in 22 games for the Ducks last season, notching five points in just over 16 minutes per night.

Grant was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins midway through the 2018-19 campaign and registered nine points in 31 games for Anaheim.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Callahan placed on LTIR after degenerative back disease diagnosis

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan has been placed on long-term injured reserve after being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, general manager Julien BriseBois announced Thursday.

According to FOX Sports' Caley Chelios, it's been recommended Callahan no longer plays professional hockey.

Callahan has one year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $5.8 million. With the veteran winger landing on LTIR, it allows the Lightning to exceed their upper salary cap limit to match Callahan's AAV.

The 34-year-old was dealt to the Bolts in 2014 after serving as the captain of the New York Rangers. He's steadily dealt with injuries throughout his tenure in Tampa and racked up 17 points in 52 games last season.

Callahan has played in 13 NHL seasons, registering 286 points across 757 contests.

Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.