NHL

12:28 PM ET Jack Eichel knows his return to Buffalo will be “awkward” and says he doesn’t know how Sabres fans will react — though he hopes they focus on some positives. “I think about my time in Buffalo, it obviously ended a little bit messy,” Eichel, the former Sabres captain, told ESPN ahead of

Mar 8, 2022 Associated Press SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken have made it clear they see forward Jared McCann as a key part of their core moving forward. The Kraken signed McCann to a five-year, $25 million contract extension Tuesday, locking up a young player who has emerged during the expansion team’s first season. McCann

7:00 AM ET With less than two weeks remaining until the 2022 NHL trade deadline, GMs are watching their teams closely to determine whether to trade away players, or make additions before the playoff rush. Speaking of the schedule, this week for the NHL power rankings, we also identified a particularly tough stretch for every

12:28 AM ET Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin tied Jaromir Jagr for No. 3 on the NHL’s all-time goals list at 766 after scoring twice in a 5-4 win at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. Ovechkin, 36, scored his 35th goal of the season at 13:23 of the second period, creating the scoring chance

5:25 PM ET The Washington Capitals released a statement Tuesday that condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but made it clear the team stands in “full support” of its Russia-born players. “Monumental Sports & Entertainment and the Washington Capitals join the National Hockey League in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the loss of innocent

2:37 PM ET Fans in Prague raised Ukrainian flags and chanted in support of that nation at a fundraising game organized by hockey legend Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday, with gate proceeds benefiting Ukrainian families seeking asylum in the Czech Republic after Russia’s invasion. Sparta HC defeated Jagr’s Knights of Kladno 4-1 at the O2 Arena

8:10 AM ET The beauty of the NHL Awards is that they not only encourage debate about on-ice performance but also existential arguments about who should be or should not be eligible to win said awards. (Beauty in this case very much being in the eye of the beholder.) Can the Hart Trophy be awarded

7:00 AM ET When Moritz Seider pronounces his first name, it has an exotic quality to it. He takes the “R” and brings the sound to the back of his throat, deemphasizing the sharpness of the letter that’s usually applied when non-German speakers attempt saying it. For 20 years, he’s heard “Mor-EETZ.” To his constant

10:12 PM ET ESPN News Services The NHL suspended its dealings with the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League on Monday, a move that could make it more difficult for teams to sign players from there. The NHL told its teams to cease contact with KHL counterparts and Russia-based agents as part of the suspension of the

5:39 PM ET Associated Press MONTREAL — Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is not expected to practice before the start of the regular season, making it unlikely that he’ll be ready for next week’s opener at Toronto. Coach Dominique Ducharme said Wednesday that Price is “not doing well right now” as he recovers from a non-COVID-19

3:50 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is being investigated after allegations that he used a fake COVID-19 vaccination card, a source told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Wednesday, confirming earlier reports. According to a source, the investigation centers on whether Kane submitted a fraudulent vaccination card

3:13 PM ET Associated Press GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes signed forward Alex Galchenyuk to a one-year deal on Wednesday. Terms were not disclosed. The 27-year-old Galchenyuk returns to Arizona after scoring five goals with eight assists with Ottawa and Toronto last season. He was traded to Carolina from Ottawa on Feb. 13 and

7:00 AM ET Alex Ovechkin would prefer not to talk about breaking Wayne Gretzky‘s NHL career goal-scoring record. He’ll gladly talk about his cars, like his G-wagons and his Bentley coupe. Or the best high-end sushi joints on the road. He’ll happily indulge you about fashion: “Dolce, Dolce, Dolce,” he said, cataloguing his shirt, pants

7:00 AM ET Normalcy is a relative term for NHL arenas this season. Of its 32 buildings, the league expects 31 of them to begin the season at full capacity, with the Vancouver Canucks the current outliers. (They’re restricted to 50% capacity by provincial health orders.) Just like “normal,” fans will be filling NHL arenas

8:12 PM ET Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville assistant coach Todd Richards is recovering from a heart attack. The Predators announced Monday that Richards, a former Minnesota and Columbus head coach, had the attack Friday. Richards has been released from the hospital and is resting at home in Nashville. “He is expected to make

12:32 PM ET Philadelphia Flyers coach Alain Vigneault pushed back against accusations made by Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner that appeared to implicate Vigneault and the Flyers in the medical malpractice of players. Lehner posted a series of tweets on Saturday about the treatment of players by NHL teams in an effort to bring

1:45 AM ET Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner accused NHL teams of medical malpractice, including offering benzodiazepines and Ambien to players without prescriptions. Lehner made the allegations on Twitter Saturday in an effort, he told ESPN, to call attention to the surgery stalemate between his former teammate Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres. The

6:11 PM ET The Vancouver Canucks have signed young star center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Quinn Hughes, getting both restricted free agents in just under two weeks before the NHL season begins, a source told ESPN on Friday, confirming multiple reports. Pettersson, 22, agreed to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $7.35