Embattled defenseman Jared Cowen cleared waivers Thursday, making him eligible to be bought out by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toronto will earn a $650,000 cap credit with Cowen's impending buy out, but the transaction will cost them $750,000 in valuable cap space in 2017-18, Sportsnet's Chris Johnston reports.
R.J. Umberger admitted he expected to be bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers after a difficult 2015-16 season, and general manager Ron Hextall confirmed Thursday that the team will buy out the final year of the forward's contract.
The 34-year-old was owed $4.6 million next season, and his buyout will help the Flyers gain an extra $3 million in cap space.
The #flyers cap hit for the R.J. Umberger buyout will be $1.6M this season and $1.5M next, per @generalfanager.
Umberger broke into the NHL with the Flyers in 2005. After a six-year stint in Columbus, he returned to Philadelphia in a June 2014 trade that sent Scott Hartnell to the Blue Jackets - a deal that now looks incredibly lopsided.
Following the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup victory, general manager Jim Rutherford is already back to work, including dealing with his team's pending restricted free agents.
Bennett, 24, was limited to just 33 games this season due to injury, recording six goals and six assists. He appeared in just one playoff game, posting a minus-2 rating in 11 minutes of ice time during his team's Game 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.
He earned $900,000 last season.
Schultz agreed to a one-year, $3.9-million deal with the Edmonton Oilers last offseason before being moved to the Penguins at the trade deadline. Although he recorded a career-low 18 points this season, Rutherford would like to bring the 25-year-old back.
Rutherford says he'd like to re-sign D Justin Schultz, but doesn't seem overly optimistic
Malkin collected six goals and 18 points in 23 playoff games after posting more than a point per game in the regular season. He notched two goals and an assist in six Cup Final games.
Ward will earn $6.6 million over the two-year term, including $3.5 million in the 2016-17 season.
The veteran netminder was a lightning rod for criticism in recent seasons, and throughout his mammoth six-year deal that expired at the end of the year. He's largely provided mix-bag results during his tenure, and led Carolina into the postseason just once since his breakthrough performance in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ward has provided career-average numbers over the course of the last two seasons, but his efficiency has been well below the league's current standard. Ward's .907 save percentage over the last four seasons ranks second-to-last among goaltenders with at least 100 starts.
He'll take almost a 50 percent pay cut to remain in Carolina, but the organization clearly sees value - or doesn't quite have enough trust in Eddie Lack - in having Ward contribute in goal as they continue to develop. This includes grooming their own goaltending prospects, namely U.S. world junior netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.
Ward had the largest cap hit among goaltenders scheduled to hit the open market.
The Florida Panthers have promoted NHL great Peter Mahovlich to special advisor to ownership after six seasons as a professional scout, the club announced Thursday.
Mahovlich will continue lending his services to the scouting department in his expanded role.
"Peter is highly respected within our organization and with his peers around the league," owner Vincent Viola said in a press release. "His wealth of experience and knowledge from his years as a player, coach and scout are tremendous assets for our organization."
The four-time Stanley Cup winner has previously worked in the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Atlanta Thrashers organizations.
Florida has brought extensive changes to its front office structure this summer, Mahovlich's promotion included.
Bonino said he had his left elbow wrapped, and the condition caused his temperature to rise to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit at times, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.
The 28-year-old center would have been shut down had his fever hit 101 degrees.
Bonino posted 18 points in 24 playoff games on the highly productive "HBK" line with Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel. He scored a goal and added two assists in the six Cup Final games.
Pat Brisson told Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune he intends to meet with the club - presumably general manager Stan Bowman - at the upcoming NHL draft.
Amid all the clamoring that Phil Kessel deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy, it turns out he was incredibly close to winning it.
Kessel nearly took home the playoff MVP award that ultimately went to Sidney Crosby in one of the closest votes ever, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Eighteen members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association - including Seravalli - cast first-, second-, and third-place votes, and the other 17 voters revealed their picks to him on the condition of anonymity.
The league gives five points for a first-place vote, three points for second, and one for third.
The NHL wouldn't confirm Seravalli's findings, because it's the only major pro league that refuses to reveal playoff MVP voting.
Crosby was held without a goal in the final, but the Penguins captain set up Letang's Cup-clincher, recorded 19 points in 24 postseason games, and notched three game-winners in the earlier rounds.
Kessel led Pittsburgh in the playoffs with 10 goals, 22 points and 98 shots, racking up 11 power-play points.
Not sure this is any consolation for Kessel backers, but it illustrates just how split the decision was.
Top-10 NHL draft trade candidates, UFA speculation, updates on the Oilers & much more in your NHL rumor mill. Top-10 NHL draft trade candidates. THE HOCKEY NEWS: Matt Larkin lists (top to bottom) Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Scott Hartnell, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie, Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw, […]