The Edmonton Oilers are giving Scottie Upshall a chance to crack their opening day roster, announcing Sunday they have signed the veteran forward to a professional tryout.

The 34-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues and is coming off a 2017-18 campaign that saw him post seven goals and 19 points in 63 games.

Upshall was originally drafted sixth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2002. A veteran of 759 games, he's put up 138 goals and 285 games across 15 seasons.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers are giving Scottie Upshall a chance to crack their opening day roster, announcing Sunday they have signed the veteran forward to a professional tryout.

The 34-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues and is coming off a 2017-18 campaign that saw him post seven goals and 19 points in 63 games.

Upshall was originally drafted sixth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2002. A veteran of 759 games, he's put up 138 goals and 285 games across 15 seasons.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leon Draisaitl doesn't think the Edmonton Oilers are going to replicate last season's subpar result.

"I think we're too good of a team where we're not at least competing in the playoffs or not in the race," the Oilers forward told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger on Thursday. "And even if we are, that's probably not good enough. We want to make the playoffs and I think we have the team to do it. Now it's up to the players to show it."

The Oilers finished with the NHL's ninth-worst record in 2017-18 after qualifying for the postseason for the first time in 11 years and advancing to the second round in the prior campaign.

Edmonton won only 36 games last season, but Draisaitl appears motivated to ensure the club gets back in the playoff hunt.

"We, as players, need to take ownership and be the best team we can be," he said. "I think that last year we weren't the team that we are, or that we want to be. Seasons like that happen, but we have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers are in no rush to name a new leader.

After dealing Ryan McDonagh to the Tampa Bay Lightning at last year's trade deadline, the Rangers finished the 2017-18 campaign without a captain.

Yet the historic franchise is ready to wait to name a new leader until someone distinguishes himself from the rest of the pack, according to new head coach David Quinn.

"We've talked about it as an organization. I think a captain emerges," Quinn told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "You don't want to put a burden on somebody that isn't ready for it. So I think that will just happen one way or the other.

"It either will happen that someone will emerge and separate themselves as someone who is clearly going to be the captain, or it won't happen. I think that will take care of itself."

McDonagh had worn the "C" since the start of the 2014-15 season, assuming the vacancy from departed captain Ryan Callahan.

Forwards Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, and defenseman Marc Staal were alternate captains with the Rangers last season, and all three could be candidates to take on the top duty this year.

The Rangers have had 27 captains in the team's history, including two stints by Mark Messier, who wore the "C" from 1991 to 1997, and again from 2000 to 2004.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.