from Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, There's no reason to punish successful teams in the name of faux parity. There's no reason why a luxury tax system couldn't ultimately benefit those teams closer to the floor. There's no reason why a smart approach to exceeding a soft cap -- like restrictions on what kinds of players you can have an overage to sign, like for example players your team originally drafted -- can't result in some semblance of fiscal sanity within a freer market. Spare me the anxieties about what a system like this could mean for future work stoppages to "correct" the market. We had them before the cap. We've had them after the cap. What we don't have is an equitable system for good teams and great players. much more, weighing the pros and cons...

from Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post, The prevailing thought in the NHL is that the prize of the free-agent market, winger Artemi Panarin, has narrowed his choices to the Rangers, Islanders and Panthers. Florida is believed to be the leading contender for Panarin because there are no state taxes and the Panthers have hired his former coach with the Blackhawks, Joel Quenneville, but the Rangers and Islanders cannot be ruled out. No offers can formally be made until the opening of the market on Monday but it is believed Panarin and his camp will finish this week-long courting period that began Sunday having met with at least all three teams to get a feeling of what might work best.... The Rangers are surely interested in Panarin, but the demand of a seven-year deal worth somewhere between $11 million-$12 million per year might be too pricey. It also wouldn’t match the value the Panthers would be able to offer because of Florida’s lack of income tax. That is a similarly attractive selling point for free-agent goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, a fellow Russian who played with Panarin in Columbus. more on the Rangers

RALEIGH, NC – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired forward Erik Haula from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Nicolas Roy and a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft. “Erik is a skilled, experienced player who has been productive at even strength and on special teams,”said Waddell. “We expect him to be healthy and ready to go for training camp.”

from Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, NHL Seattle has filed an application for an American Hockey League (AHL) expansion franchise that would begin play in a new 10,000-seat arena in Palm Springs, Calif. by 2021. The arena would be a joint-venture between the California-based Oak View Group (OVG) — which is also undertaking a $930-million rebuilding of KeyArena for this city’s incoming NHL franchise – and the Palm Springs-based Agua Caliente Indian tribe. The privately-financed, 300,000-square-foot arena would be built on 16 acres of tribal land in Palm Springs and serve as home to the primary minor league feeder club for Seattle’s soon-to-be NHL team. NHL Seattle had also looked at the possibility of acquiring and relocating an existing AHL team but will instead look to start up a brand new one if the AHL approves the application. The most recent AHL expansion franchises sold in the $5 million range. continued

People are talking about the great "RFA class". Like it's draft night, or the player's are UFA's. Let's see how teams are calling, vs the agent calling, and how many are calling about possible trade vs offer sheet. — Shawn Simpson (@TSNSimmer) June 26, 2019

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, To get a pretty good read into what kind of hockey player Albin Grewe is, just ask him who is favorite player is. Here’s a hint: it’s not the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby or Dylan Larkin. He’s much more of an agitator. How about Brad Marchand? “I always play as I do,” said Grewe, given the nickname "T-Rex" by a junior coach because he eats everyone below the food chain, after his workout Wednesday at the Red Wings’ development camp. “Then I also watched Brad Marchand, and l like what he (does).” Grewe was the Red Wings’ third-round selection last weekend. If he turns out to be half the player Marchand has become — pest-like qualities on the ice, and all — everyone around the organization, front office to fans, likely would be fans. continued

from Roberto Luongo at FloridaPanthers.com, There's a lot I want to say. This is one of the toughest decisions I've faced in my life and it took me a long time to make it. After thinking about it a lot over the past two months and listening to my body, I made up my mind. It just feels like the right time for me to step away from the game. I love the game so much, but the commitment I required to prepare, to keep my body ready, has become overwhelming. Since I had my hip surgery a couple of years ago, I've been showing up two hours before every practice and three hours before every game to work out my hip. Even at night, whether it was the night before a game or even a night off, there I was rolling out, doing strengthening exercises. My entire life revolved around recovery, strengthening and making sure I was ready to go the next day. I was willing to make that sacrifice because I love the game, I love being part of it, being in the action and competing with my teammates. I was willing to go through it all for my love of hockey. After this season ended and I had an opportunity to step away, I started thinking about things. continued A look at his career is below.

via the Philadelphia Flyers, The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have re-signed goaltender Brian Elliott to a one-year contract extension worth an average annual value (AAV) of $2.0 million, according to Executive Vice President & General Manager Chuck Fletcher. "Brian has played well for us the last two seasons," said Fletcher. "He is a proven, quality goaltender who competes and battles hard every time he has the net. We are excited to have him rejoin our team."

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- Arizona Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka announced today that the Coyotes have signed Phil Housley to a multi-year contract to serve as an assistant coach on Head Coach Rick Tocchet's staff. As per club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed. "Phil is a great addition to our coaching staff," said Chayka. "His experience as a player, combined with his success overseeing defensive units, make him a perfect fit for this job. We're all excited to work with him and leverage his knowledge of the game to make us better." "I'm very pleased to add Phil to our coaching staff," said Coyotes Head Coach Rick Tocchet. "Phil is a tremendous coach and his experience and knowledge of the game will be invaluable to our defensemen."  

The live stream is scheduled to start at 11:30am ET, watch below.

from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, - Pavelski declined visits in a couple of places where he thought the teams weren’t close enough to winning. All eyes are on Dallas and Tampa Bay, although Chicago may try to convince him to visit. The Stars are determined to add scorers. - I could see Gustav Nyquist and Columbus. - Steve Yzerman wasn’t the only one who sees the potential in German defenceman Moritz Seider, who Detroit took sixth overall. Mark Seidel of North American Central Scouting had him fifth. - These will be the Final 31 Thoughts of the 2018-19 season. Can’t thank you enough for reading; the blog would not exist without your consumption. Thank you to the editors who have to grind through this muck.... more on the last Thought plus many more

Dan Rosen of NHL.com answers questions from fans, the first on regarding Corey Perry. I firmly believe that a healthy Perry can be a 25-goal scorer in the right system and with the right center distributing him the puck. He wasn't healthy last season after having knee surgery in September and it clearly hurt his production (10 points in 31 games). Perry is three seasons removed from the last time he was a 30-goal scorer (34 in 2015-16). He had 19 goals in 82 games in 2016-17 and 17 in 71 games in 2017-18 before dropping to six this season. Perry could be a perfect fit for the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks, depending on what happens with forward Joe Pavelski and potentially Patrick Marleau, if he's bought out by the Carolina Hurricanes and wants to return to the team he spent his first 19 seasons with. If Marleau is bought out, the Hurricanes also could be a fit for Perry. The Avalanche, Stars and Predators need secondary scoring. Nashville is likely in the market for center Matt Duchene, and if it can sign him, Perry would likely be out of the picture. read on and other questions and answers too...

from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, When it became apparent that Mitch Marner might use the restricted free agent interview window to meet with rival teams, members of the Toronto Maple Leafs front office looked back and found just one documented case where that had happened in a decade. Shea Weber explored that avenue on the way to signing a $110-million, 14-year offer sheet in July 2012, and no one else has done it — at least not in a public manner — since. While it still remains to be seen if Marner will actually travel for meetings in other cities, it’s clear that he and his agent want to get the lay of the land through phone conversations. That’s fully within their CBA-negotiated rights and it should finally answer a question that’s been asked repeatedly in this city and beyond: Will somebody actually step forward and give the 22-year-old winger an offer sheet? continued

from Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “We are going to have to make a few moves, and we have planned for that,” said McPhee, incoming president of hockey operations. “We are going through that exercise right now, and when we’re done, we’ll talk about it and explain it. … We’ll be tight this year on the cap.” Some moves would be much easier to explain than others. Here’s one possibility: McPhee shifts enough salary to bring the Knights in line with the $81.5 million cap for this season while keeping the team’s top six forwards together and hoping goalie Marc-Andre Fleury doesn’t show any level of serious decline at age 34. Such a scenario could potentially deliver a Cup over the next few seasons and earn McPhee a hero’s standing in the history of Las Vegas sports. That’s the uncomplicated version of things. This is the other version: In order to shed enough cap space — the Knights are reportedly $7.5 million over after Karlsson’s deal — the team could trade a top-six forward such as Max Pacioretty and his $7 million annual salary, signaling that those hamstrung contracts McPhee insists his team doesn’t have actually exist. Pacioretty has been reported as one who could be moved, and the player carries the sort of cap hit that could immediately solve a chunk of those issues. more

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman delivered a message on the eve of development camp that piqued the interest of one prospect in particular Center Joe Veleno, who will embark on his pro career in the fall, was part of the Team Howe group that went through on-ice testing and shooting drills on the first day of development camp Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena. Development camp is as much about instilling good habits off the ice — what to eat, when to eat, the importance of sleep, how to optimize workouts — and the five-day event kicked off with a dinner highlighted by a speech from Yzerman, two months into his reign as general manager. “He was telling us there are going to be a lot of open spots and it doesn’t matter if you’re a first-round pick or an invite, everyone is battling for a position,” Veleno said. “Everyone is out here to showcase something.” continued

from Jamie Samuelsen at the Detroit Free Press, When Steve Yzerman walked to the stage at the NHL draft and selected defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth pick in the draft, it was a head-scratcher for most Red Wings fans. Not because they thought Seider was going to be a bust or because they covet some player instead. No, they were angry because Seider was selected higher than he “should have been” and as a result, it constituted a “reach” by Yzerman. Was it a reach? We’re all certainly entitled to our opinions. I, speaking as someone who has never seen Seider wear a pair of skates, much less compete at high levels of hockey, will refrain from judgement. Yzerman has scouted Seider plenty and viewed him as the sixth best player in the draft and the available player that best fit the Red Wings' needs. Who’s right and who’s wrong? Time will tell. And time might take the shape of a four- or five-year wait. More: NHL draft winners and losers: Canadiens get a steal with Cole Caufield at No. 15 Which brings me back to grades. How is it humanly possible to know how good a class is within 48 hours of it being put together? It may take 48 months before we know just how good these players are. Yzerman came on the radio with us on Monday and said it could be four or five years before we can expect some of these players to arrive in the NHL. That’s the nature of drafting in hockey and baseball. read on from Jared Purcell of Mlive,

from Luke Fox of Sportsnet, “I gotta go to Babcock’s house! I gotta go to Babcock’s house!” a young Nick Robertson kept reminding his sister. “I want him to see me in my jersey and tell him I play for Little Caesars.” It was getting late that Halloween in Northville, Mich., the Detroit suburb where Robertson’s family had recently moved from California and where he’d heard the coach of the Stanley Cup–winning head coach of the Red Wings lived with his family as well. Little Nicky, dressed up in his Pavel Datsyuk sweater, was getting anxious during that trick-or-treating session, concerned that the jack o’ lanterns would get snuffed out before he hit the motherlode. So, naturally, his candy-fetching-per-minute analytics spiked. “I remember it was getting late. I was running, knocking on everyone’s door. I’m like, ‘Are you Babcock?’ Then I’d run, knock on the next one: ‘Are you Babcock?’ Then, finally, I got him. I think I asked him about Datsyuk — that was my favourite player at the time.” continued

In one of his first acts as Detroit Red Wings GM, Steve Yzerman fired longtime pro scout Glenn Merkosky, who was with the Wings for two Stanley Cups, and replaced him with Chris Yzerman, Steve's brother who had been scouting for him with the Lightning. Discuss amongst yourselves. — Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) June 25, 2019 added 5:30pm,   Check that last tweet. Glenn Merkosky actually won four Stanley Cups as a scout for the Red Wings, and was fired by Steve Yzerman and replaced by Chris Yzerman, Steve's brother who worked for him in Tampa. Again, discuss amongst yourselves. — Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) June 25, 2019

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Moritz Seider’s whirlwind week segued from Vancouver to Detroit, where he was welcomed with the excitement befitting a highly regarded prospect. Shortly after the Detroit Red Wings drafted him at sixth overall in the draft on Friday, Seider received a phone call from Dylan Larkin. “I was so excited,” Seider said Tuesday as the Wings began a five-day development camp at Little Caesars Arena. “I didn’t know what I had to say. It was really cool.” While Larkin called Seider, another Red Wings first-round pick was busy taking the advice of general manager Steve Yzerman and Googled the German defenseman. “Seider is a real good defenseman,” Veleno said. “I’ve seen a couple of his clips and he moves well, skates well.” continued I may or may not add to this later today, it all depends if it is actually newsworthy and not just interviews for the sake of an interview.

Les matchs de ce soir, 25 juin, ont lieu comme prévu!

#RedWings said Filip Zadina has a strained hamstring. He’s taking part in off-ice activities but it’s questionable whether he’ll skate this week. Same with Taro Hirose, though he’s more likely to skate. — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) June 25, 2019

from TSN, Six more received their calls to the Hall on Tuesday. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser, Montreal Canadiens great Guy Carbonneau, longtime Dallas Stars defenceman Sergei Zubov and Vaclav Nedomansky, the first player to defect to North America to play, were among the sextet selected for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame next fall. They will be joined in the Builders Category by current Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford and longstanding Boston College coach Jerry York. continued

Played five season for the #RedWings from 1977-82, 364 games, 108 goals, 247 points, minus-85. https://t.co/ALjM9tio9I — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) June 25, 2019   Jimmy Rutherford made it too as a builder.

9 minutes to watch.  

from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, As another GM explained to me over the weekend in Vancouver, and he’s not the first, is the concern in giving up four first-round picks required for a huge offer sheet is that his team (which made the playoffs this past season by the way) has an injury-plagued campaign and one of those first-rounders turns into a lottery selection (you obviously can’t lottery-protect those picks). It’s been a refrain conveyed to me from a few teams. But, you never know, right? This is a special summer like we’ve never seen before. “It is ever,’’ one agent said on Tuesday. Unless you’re a hockey fan living under a rock, you know that Sebastian Aho, Brayden Point, Patrik Laine, Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Connor, Timo Meier, Brock Boeser, Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov and Charlie McAvoy are all coming out of their entry-level contracts this summer. much more (paid)....

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has signed Head Coach Craig Berube to a three-year contract. Berube, who was originally named interim head coach on Nov. 19, 2018, led the Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship and was a finalist for the 2019 Jack Adams Award. "Craig made an enormous impact on our team when he took over last November," said Armstrong. "He restored our identity and provided our players with a clear sense of direction and purpose. The chemistry and trust that he developed with our players was integral in bringing our franchise the 2019 Stanley Cup."

DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has acquired defenseman Kevin Connauton and a third-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for forward Carl Soderberg.  Connauton, 29, skated in 50 games for the Coyotes during the 2018-19 season, tallying eight points (1g/7a).   Selected by Vancouver in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Connauton has registered 76 points (27g/49a) in 310 career NHL games for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and Coyotes.  The Edmonton, Alberta, native appeared in his 300th NHL contest this past Feb. 12 at Vegas.  “I’d like to thank Carl for everything he has done for the Avalanche both on and off the ice,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic.  “This trade allows some of our young centermen to have a chance to play a more prominent role on our team while adding an experienced defenseman to our roster.”  Connauton established career highs in games (73), goals (11) and points (21) with the Coyotes in 2017-18.  The 6-foot-2, 205-pound rearguard made his NHL debut with the Stars in 2013-14, dressing in 36 regular season games (1g/7a) and four playoff contests (0g/0a).  He was selected to the 2011-12 AHL All-Star Game with the Chicago Wolves in a season in which he had 33 points (13g/20a) in 73 games.  Prior to turning pro, Connauton was named to the WHL (West) First All-Star Team and Canadian Major Junior All-Rookie Team with the Vancouver Giants in 2009-10.

#RedWings have made qualifying offers to RFAs Joe Hicketts, Patrik Rybar and Dominic Turgeon, retaining their rights. They did not qualify Martin Frk, Dylan Sadowy, Libor Sulak and Axel Holmstrom, the latter two who have returned to play in Europe. Deadline is today. — Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) June 25, 2019

NEW YORK (June 25, 2019) – The NHL’s 2019-20 regular season will commence Wednesday, Oct. 2, with a four-game slate, highlighted by the St. Louis Blues raising their first Stanley Cup championship banner before facing the Washington Capitals at Enterprise Center. The 1,271-game regular-season schedule – 82 games per team – will conclude Saturday, April 4, 2020.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today released their schedule for the 2019-20 season and the team’s 94th overall in the National Hockey League. The Red Wings will open the campaign on the road on Saturday, Oct. 5 against the Nashville Predators before hosting the Dallas Stars for the Home Opener on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 7:00 p.m. Little Caesars Arena will host 22 weekend home games (five Fridays, seven Saturdays and 10 Sundays), including the regular-season finale on Saturday, April 4 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season’s 82-game slate includes four games against each Atlantic Division rivals (28 games), three games against the eight teams in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division (24 games) and two games against all 15 Western Conference foes (30 games). The 2019-20 campaign begins with a balanced home and road split, with five dates on the road among the first eight games overall, including the annual Western Canada trip (Oct. 15 at Vancouver; Oct. 17 at Calgary; Oct. 18 at Edmonton). The month wraps up with four home games in a five-game stretch from Oct. 22-29 – highlighted by a visit from the defending Stanley Cup-champion St. Louis Blues on Sunday, Oct. 27.

via the YouTube page of the Detroit Red Wings, Join us live at day 1 of Detroit Red Wings Development Camp at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena. Watch below.  It is scheduled to start at 11:30am ET.

from Satchel Price and Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Calvin de Haan and forward prospect Aleksi Saarela for goaltender Anton Forsberg and defenseman Gustav Forsling in an unexpected Monday night trade. The move continues an ongoing remodeling of the Hawks’ defensive corps following a rough showing on that front last season. The team also recently traded for the Penguins’ Olli Maatta, sending Dominik Kahun and a fifth-round pick to Pittsburgh.... In his lone season in Carolina, De Haan recorded one goal and 13 assists in 74 games. The 28-year-old posted strong possession metrics, including a 55.5 percent even strength Corsi, for a team that dominated in that area. He’s exactly the kind of player the Hawks needed: a conservative, reliable rearguard who can provide stability to a unit that previously lacked anyone in that role. read on

from the Washington Capitals, Brooks Orpik has announced his retirement today from the National Hockey League (NHL) after 15 seasons. Born in San Francisco, California, but raised in Amherst, New York, the steady defenceman was a well-respected teammate and leader with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals over the course of his career - a journey that saw him total 194 points over his 1,035 regular-season games. "I've been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new," said Orpik. "I'm excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I'll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me." continued

from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star, ...Toronto fans need to accept the fact Dubas and his group have a philosophy that isn’t going to change, and be happy that at least the Leafs are committed to a plan that’s in tune with the times. Toronto’s real need is to get its key players — Matthews, Nylander, Marner — to learn how to perform in the playoffs with the same determination and snarl as players such as Bergeron and O’Reilly. That and the very different skill of salary-cap management, an art many hockey fans still don’t necessarily value, are going to be the factors that determine much of the future for this hockey club. more

VEGAS (June 24, 2019) – Vegas Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee announced today, June 24, that the team has signed forward William Karlsson to an eight-year contract through the 2026-27 season worth an average annual value of $5.9 million. Karlsson, 26, finished his second season with the Golden Knights with 56 points (24 G, 32 A) to go with 16 penalty minutes. He finished with 13 multi-point games, including three games where he recorded three points. The Marsta, Sweden native recorded his 150th career point on December 6 and now has 184 career points (85 G, 99 A) through five seasons in the NHL. Karlsson is the only player in franchise history to have appeared in every regular season game and postseason contest, a total of 191 games. He was originally acquired by the Golden Knights during the 2017 Expansion Draft.

via TSN's YouTube page, Darren Dreger joins the OverDrive guys to discuss Mitch Marner’s approach to his contract negotiations, the RFA market, why none of the players have been signed yet, and more.  

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, More than 40 players, including their most recent first-round selections (Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and Moritz Seider) will be divided into two groups (Teams Howe and Lindsay) and take part in on-ice skill development and off-ice workouts, culminating with a three-on-three tournament on Friday (6:30 p.m.) and Red & White Game Saturday (noon). Here are 10 players to watch this week at development camp: Jonatan Berggren, left wing Limited to 16 games last season for Skelleftea in Sweden due to a back injury, the club’s third selection in 2018 (33rd) is a good skater and puck skills. He’s more of a playmaker who the Red Wings believe can become a better finisher. Albin Grewe, right wing A highly competitive player who likens himself to Brad Marchand, Grewe, selected 66th this weekend, is a good skater and aggressive forechecker, playing a physical, agitating style that resulted in 102 penalty minutes in only 25 games in 2018-19 for Djurgardens under-20 team. read on

from TSN, The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired defenceman Calvin de Haan and forward Aleksi Saarela from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for goalie Anton Forsberg and defenceman Gustav Forsling. De Haan had a goal and 13 assists in 74 regular season games for the Hurricanes last year. His contract carries an AAV of $4.5 million each season through 2021-22. Saarela, 22, had 30 goals and 24 assists in 69 games with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers last season. The 23-year-old Forsling appeared in 43 games last season with Chicago and had three goals and six assists. Meanwhile, Forsberg, 26, spent last season with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs and had a goals-against average of 2.97 in 35 games. He has played 45 games at the NHL level in his career. continued

from Michael Traikos of the National Post, It’s a hindsight year for the Hockey Hall of Fame. After a decade that required little debate for headliner inductions — names such as Yzerman, Gilmour, Chelios, Lidstrom, Selanne, Brodeur and Shanahan — the 2019 class has no clear favourite among male players. When the 18 selection committee members gather in Toronto on Tuesday to vote, they’ll dust off some old claims. Up to four males and two females can be added, with two in the builders wing if no one is chosen in the referee/linesman category. Alex Mogilny and Daniel Alfredsson are among the most prominent names in the Hall’s crowded waiting room. The patient Mogilny has been eligible since 2009 and watched two years ago as Paul Kariya, with fewer points and no Stanley Cup championship, made it in ahead of him. Mogilny’s attendance at the November ceremony might be worth it just for his speech — the Russian is renowned for his dry wit. continued

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, The majority of picks from last weekend’s draft will attend, as well as 2018 first-round picks Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno, signed free-agent prospects and undrafted free agent invitees from college, junior or European leagues. “We get to know the kids a little bit and try to set them up and educate them if they need it,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “They all have varying experience as far as training and eating properly, so they are at different stages from different countries and backgrounds. We want to educate them on what they need to be doing on and off the ice this summer. “For the ones we do get to bring back in September (junior league players), make sure they have a real good summer, and for the ones we don’t get back that are in college or have to play in Europe, make sure they understand what they need to do — the lifestyle and dedication, the work ethic, the training to get to the NHL. more added 1:32pm, Wings release camp news below.

Under 4 minutes to watch.  

from Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press, Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Andrew Copp, Neal Pionk, Nathan Beaulieu and Joe Morrow are all restricted free agents who need new deals. In the case of Laine and Connor, could another NHL club try to take advantage of Winnipeg’s financial woes and sign them to an offer sheet the Jets would either be forced to match or lose the player in exchange for draft pick compensation? That could happen as early as July 1, so buckle up. Tyler Myers, Brandon Tanev, Ben Chiarot and Par Lindholm are the key unrestricted free agents who are now able to speak with other possible suitors about signing with them beginning next Monday as well. Myers, for example, met Sunday with the Vancouver Canucks. The clock is ticking, their time in Winnipeg likely coming to an end. To get all the RFAs signed and have any hope of retaining a UFA, or two, some salary is going to have to be shed. Mathieu Perreault and Dmitry Kulikov are two names being talked about as potential victims of the cash crunch. more

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, The Detroit Red Wings’ previous four draft classes feature five players who have played a combined 185 NHL games thus far. Several more are certain to enter the league in the next few years, but it takes time. So it will be a while before Steve Yzerman’s first draft as Red Wings general manager can be evaluated. “The danger is we all want our draft picks playing as soon as possible; it helps justify the picks a little bit,” Yzerman told media at the draft. “Ultimately, you really have to make sure you’re doing what’s right for these kids, that they’re playing at a level that they can be competitive and improve and excel at. “There is stress. Very few 18-year-olds play in the NHL today. Now that they’re in the fold, we’ll try to set them up as best as we can, educate them and provide them with resources to develop and then we’ll see. If it’s one year, two years, three years … some of these kids will be five years. It doesn’t mean they’re not going to be good players. But it’s going to take five years for some of them.” Here is a look at the 11 players the Red Wings selected over the weekend at Rogers Arena in Vancouver: continued from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Regarding the Rangers, who will be doing their due diligence on the impending free-agent market while keeping their eyes on the blue-chip heavy prospect camp that opens Monday. 1. The most critical, far-reaching decision is this as the unrestricted free-agent interview window opens ahead of July 1: Attempt to extend Chris Kreider for somewhere around $6.75 million per for six years, or attempt to sign Artemi Panarin for probably at least $11.5 million per for seven years. Or, alternately, neither, which would mean trading Kreider and declining to make the 27-year-old (28 in October) impending free-agent winger the second- or third-highest paid player in the league. No one is suggesting Kreider can match Panarin’s elite skill. Funny thing, though, each scored 28 goals last year, though the Columbus winger notched 59 assists to Kid K’s 24. Everyone gets it. All things being equal, you choose Panarin every time. continued

from Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, There are a lot of reasons the job of an NHL general manager is a tough one. Here's the latest one to add to the list: How do you know what kind of team to build these days? It sure seemed like the NHL was going back to a speed game when the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Last year's Washington-Vegas Cup final certainly highlighted speed but both of those teams were "heavy" as well. This season seemed to be all about speed when you consider teams like Tampa Bay, Toronto and Calgary that roared to success over 82 games. Then the playoffs started. Upsets were everywhere. Columbus, Carolina and St. Louis were among the teams advancing. Boston forged on. The Lightning, Leafs and Flames were doused. By the end, the final was between the Bruins and the ultra-heavy Blues. Speed seems to be what you want in the regular season. Brawn seems to answer the call in the postseason. What's a GM to do? "It's always trying to find out do you have enough skill to go through it but is that skill willing to get into the hard areas and compete in certain areas?" Sabres GM Jason Botterill said here in the hours leading into the NHL draft. "What both organizations showed is that they faced injuries throughout their runs and they had the depth to step in. Guys could come in who had been out of the lineup and contribute right away. continued

The Maple Leafs team who needed jam and sand paper last year drafted; 1 Russian, 2 Fins and 3 Americans all described as rather on the small size 5’9 to 5’11. The Leafs have gotten smaller and gentler… this team sits among 40000 kids who love the Leafs… it really does boggle the mind. -Don Cherry.  Read more on this.

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, The Red Wings addressed that over the weekend at the NHL Draft. Of their 11 picks overall – they acquired an extra pick Saturday in Buffalo – they selected five defensemen, including three of their first four overall selections. The five defensemen collectively have good size – something, it appears, many organizations took account of watching St. Louis’ and Boston’s big bodies in the Stanley Cup Finals. “As a staff, we identified this as being a pretty deep draft defensively,” said Tyler Wright, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “I don’t think we’re quite in a position where we have to start really picking by position. It just happened to be that defense was kind of top-heavy in this draft. “You watch the playoffs and you see the size of these guys with St. Louis and Boston being in there – that doesn’t mean they’re just big.” Meaning, size with skill. And the Wings are optimistic they picked some big bodies who can do a variety of things. read on from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

You know you've had a really bad year when someone asks midway through the Stanley Cup Final, "so who's winning?" and your answer is "uuuummmmm." Not that I would ever say such a thing, but if I did, I'm just sayin; it's a good thing I have a chance to reboot the system with the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The Western Hockey League did well this year, with seven players taken in the first round and 21 picked up in rounds two through seven. They're not Jack Hughes, but this year's WHL draft class has a lot to offer. Among the players I'll be watching more closely in the 2019- 2020 season are hidden gem Sasha Mutala, old-school hockey defenseman John Ludvig and goalie Dustin Wolf. 

from Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cam Talbot and Brian Elliott, veteran goalies who can become unrestricted free agents July 1, are among the candidates to be Carter Hart’s backup with the Flyers. But the Flyers are also exploring other options. The Flyers may try to sign a free-agent goaltender like Curtis McElhinney, or general manager Chuck Fletcher could venture into the trade market. “There are a couple balls in the air right now. We’ll see here in the next little while,” new coach Alain Vigneault said at the NHL draft Saturday when asked about the backup goalie. continued

Karlsson camp fought hard for the max term. The Knights pushed hard for a reasonable AAV which the team got. Like I said, Karlsson really didn’t want to leave. If there was no extension he possibly would have got dealt this summer. https://t.co/cCAA176YjB — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 23, 2019

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, - The options for Dubas right now: Compromise and sign Mitch Marner immediately, find a way to keep both Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, bring back Jake Gardiner as a free agent, take advantage of whatever it is you get for Nikita Zaitsev, sign a backup goalie and protect your assets. Dubas needs to do some of that or all of that and at least now he has some financial flexibility to play with. To trade Marleau, he needed to be bold, to swallow a little more than he wanted to swallow and to protect the main strength of his roster. - Mark Giordano didn’t win just the Norris Trophy. He romped, getting 165 first-place votes. John Carlson had three first-place votes, Brett Burns two and Victor Hedman one. - You can’t make this stuff up: Somebody out of Buffalo (not the venerable Mike Harrington) voted Jake Muzzin third on their Norris Trophy ballot. Honest. a few more hockey notes...

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, It is difficult to believe the members of the NHLPA are so self-interested that they would willingly depress the salary cap for the next two seasons in order to save a percentage point or two on escrow withholding when that decision would act against the well-being of every free agent seeking a new deal and sorely restrict cap teams. Yet that is what the PA opted for in electing to apply merely a 0.5 percent growth factor that will increase the cap to $81.5M. This represents an increase of 2.5 percent over last year’s $79.5M ceiling, the smallest percentage increase since 2008-09 to 2009-10. The notion this is somehow necessary to avoid a lockout (or even a strike) is nonsensical. Do the players think Sixth Avenue is going to shut it down over another couple of million dollars on the cap the next two seasons? Are the league’s marquee players under contract going to squeeze the rest of the union over a couple of hundred thousand a year, and when most of the league’s marquee class have another couple of contracts ahead of them? Are they honestly that cowed? more plus other topics including the New Jersey Devils...

from Lucas Aykroyd of IIHF.com, In terms of the actual draft, Canada and the U.S. dominated the selections, while Sweden and Finland also had strong showings, as expected. However, there was a major spike in interest in players of Russian heritage. In total, 27 Russians were drafted this year, compared to 17 in 2016, 18 in 2017, and 20 in 2018. Thus, Russia had the third-most players taken after the North American nations. It appears that the so-called “Russian factor” – the tendency of NHL teams to steer clear of Russians who may stay home – has evaporated. In an off-the-beaten-path scenario, Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs) was taken 33rd overall by Los Angeles. He was born to Russian-speaking parents in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, but moved to Staten Island, New York when he was 11 months old, and is officially American.... The Russians just kept on trending, including two slick forwards from Stalinye Lisy Magnitogorsk, Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s junior squad. Pavel Dorofeyev, known for his stickhandling, appeared in 23 KHL games this season and could be a steal for Vegas (third round, #79 overall). Fellow dangler Yegor Spiridonov, who stepped up with two goals and six points at the 2019 U18 Worlds, was nabbed by San Jose (fourth round, #108 overall). Towering European goalies were also a hot commodity on Day Two. more

from Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun, Let me see if I’ve got this right. The Edmonton Oilers hire the most experienced and successful general manager in the league at $5 million a year. And with the first pick of the Ken Holland era in Edmonton, the eighth selection overall, the Oilers long-suffering and venomous fan base was distressed. The idiot went and picked a player ranked lower than eighth on many published lists and mock drafts? Holland was even characterized as having put himself “on the hot seat” with his first ever Oilers draft pick. It wasn’t just the social media haters and internet trolls. The reaction was decidedly that of disappointment throughout a significant slice of the passionate fan base. This is in the wake of going with the rankings and ratings in the recent past and picking Nail Yakupov and Jesse Puljujarvi. Now the Oilers have the recently successful amateur scouting and development pair of Keith Gretzky and Bob Green working under the draft and development champion of the NHL, in Holland. And an inordinate number of Edmonton fans call him out for his first pick? Credit Holland for the best quote of the draft. “The people who don’t watch the games seem to have all the answers today,” he said. continued

3 1/2 minutes to watch.  

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, Right now, maybe some of the Red Wings’ 11 draft picks might be viewed as a bit of a reach, maybe bit of gambles. But you get the sense that if any of them reach their potential, the Wings might have hit the jackpot. “That’s our job really,” said Tyler Wright, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “It’s not to pick the best player today, but who is going to be the best player at age 21, 22, and 23 foremost. “Some of these kids might not play and that’s just the nature of the beast we deal with. But at the end of the day, we’re trying to build something with what can they bring to the table that can excite us. We’re happy with the draft. We didn’t put an emphasis on saying we’re going to continue to take defensemen or take wingers. "We got good size, we got good people who can skate and are real competitive kids.” The Wings took five defensemen, five forwards and a goaltender — they obtained an extra seventh-round pick from Buffalo late in the day — and came away with several players who are generally considered to have large, untapped upsides. “The only emphasis was trying to do our homework and make sure we knew all these kids well and pick the best possible prospects we could,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “We’re drafting kids who we hope have a lot of upside. continued Below, Ansar Khan and Helene St. James with more on the Wings.

The GM first, Tyler Wright and Hakan Andersson below.  

from Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic, With the silly season underway in the NHL, I’d like to make a modest proposal intended to make all trade boards and trade trackers more pertinent in the future. Instead of listing only the players themselves as possible targets, we need to start including an “available salary-cap space” line on these transactions. For example, ahead of Saturday’s trade that saw the Devils acquire P.K. Subban from the Nashville Predators, you could have listed $9-million worth of New Jersey’s cap space as a commodity that a dozen teams prized – and frantically chased. It put Devils’ general manager Ray Shero in an enviable position – of playing one desperate team off against another, knowing that someone was going to step up and make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Cap space really is that precious and coveted. continued ($$$) and Canes too...

VANCOUVER (June 22, 2019) -- A total of 217 players from 15 countries and 33 leagues were selected in the 2019 NHL Draft presented by adidas, which concluded Saturday at Rogers Arena. Following is a breakdown of draft picks by position, birth country and league:

Almost 5 minutes to watch.  

NEW YORK/ TORONTO (June 22, 2019) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association and the National Hockey League today announced that the Team Payroll Range established for the 2019-20 League Year, pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, provides for a Lower Limit of $60.2 million, an Adjusted Midpoint of $70.9 million and an Upper Limit of $81.5 million.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today drafted 10 players during the second day of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Red Wings held three selections in the second round, adding defenseman Antti Tuomisto (35th overall), center Robert Mastrosimone (54th overall) and defenseman Albert Johansson (60th overall), before choosing right wing Albin Grewe in the third round (66th overall), which marked their fifth pick in the first 66 selections of the draft. In the mid-rounds of the draft, the Red Wings selected right wing Ethan Phillips (97th overall) in the fourth round and chose defenseman Cooper Moore (128th overall) in the fifth round. After trading down to add an extra pick in each of the final two rounds of the draft, Detroit selected forward right wing Elmer Soderblom (159th overall) and defenseman Gustav Berglund (177th overall) in the sixth round and left wing Kirill Tyutyayev (190th overall) and goaltender Carter Gylander (191st overall) in the seventh round.

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News (Kulfan is adding to this as picks come in)... The Red Wings went with another defenseman with their first pick Saturday. In Round 2 of the NHL Entry Draft, the Red Wings selected Antti Tuomisto, a 6-foot-4, 194-pound defenseman. Like Moritz Seider, Friday’s surprise first-round selection, Tuomisto is a bit of reach by some scouting services’ opinions. Tuomisto was ranked No. 15 by NHL Central Scouting’s European skaters, and 86th overall by Eliteprospects.com. Tuomisto is said to have a hard, accurate shot and can make a good, accurate first pass out of his zone. With their second pick in the second round, 54th overall, the Wings took center Robert Mastrosimone. A 5-10, 170-pound forward who can also play left wing, Mastrosimone had 60 points (31 goals) in 54 games with Chicago in the United States Hockey League. Mastrosimone doesn’t have explosive speed, but has an exceptional wrist shot and is a fine stickhandler. continued with more picks....

Kyle Dubas really working the phones pic.twitter.com/pZriQPE1mb — Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 22, 2019

Well, we can see Yzerman is going to do it his way, at his pace. Starting with No. 6 overall pick Moritz Seider, and into the second round, Yzerman making unorthodox, somewhat-off-the-radar choices for Wings. Interesting, to say the least. — Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) June 22, 2019   Yzerman knows what all Wings fans know -- they desperately need defensemen. First two picks are big, puck-moving defensemen. There is a plan, obviously, unaffected by rankings and mock drafts. — Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) June 22, 2019

TRADE: The Lightning have traded forward J.T. Miller to Vancouver for a conditional first-round pick in 2020, a third-round selection in 2019 and goaltender Marek Mazanec. Should the Canucks not make the playoffs in 2019-20, the first-round selection will move to the 2021 draft. — Caley Chelios (@CaleyChelios) June 22, 2019

The New Jersey Devils have acquired P.K. Subban — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 22, 2019

Coverage begins at 1:00pm ET on the NHL Network, Sportsnet and a live stream at NHL.com (will post a link when available). Wings draft position today: Round 2- 35 Round 2- 54 Round 2- 60 Round 3- 66 Round 4- 97 Round 5- 128 Round 5- 143 Round 6- 159 Round 7- 190 Tine ti discuss.

Patrick Marleau has been traded to Carolina. #Leafs pic.twitter.com/cWoIiXZge1 — Joshua Clipperton (@JClipperton_CP) June 22, 2019

from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, If the Vegas Golden Knights really want to get the contract of the injured David Clarkson off the books, they’re likely going to have to give up a first-round pick. It doesn’t sound like anybody is any hurry to do GM George McPhee a favour after the demands he made from opposition teams to protect their players in the expansion draft. … While many believed Columbus forward Artemi Panarin was going straight to the Florida Panthers as soon as unrestricted free agency opens July 1, some think that may not be the case anymore. There are going to be a lot of teams willing to throw a lot of money his way, although the Panthers remain the frontrunner. As for Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, it sure sounds like he’s headed to the Panthers. … The San Jose Sharks are trying to move defenceman Brenden Dillon and there are a few teams with interest. more

from Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, The USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team was the star of the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Eight players were selected at Rogers Arena on Friday, including seven in the top 15. The previous record was three, done seven times (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). "Kind of shows what they're doing there in Plymouth (Michigan), the way they're producing players, they have the formula figured out," said left wing Matthew Boldy, selected by the Minnesota Wild at No. 12. "They know what they're doing and they're doing it the right way. It's only going to get better from here on out. They're only going to keep improving and producing better players. I owe a lot to that place. I don't think I'd be where I was without them." continued

from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas was seen conversing on the draft floor with his counterpart, David Poile, from the Predators. My TSN colleague Bob McKenzie reported during our Insider Trading segment on Friday that the Leafs have indeed inquired about P.K. Subban. It certainly makes sense from the Leafs perspective as they desperately need help on the right side of their defense. But I also think that given Toronto’s precarious cap situation, the Predators would have to eat some of that $9-million cap hit on Subban’s contract. And, well, it goes without saying there are other teams calling Nashville about Subban, too. For the Leafs to shed some cap space they need to figure out the Patrick Marleau situation for one. A source told me on Friday night that the Leafs and Coyotes have re-engaged on the idea of a potential trade scenario in which Arizona gets a sweetener for taking on Marleau’s deal and then turning around and buying him out, which would make him a UFA. He would then, presumably, be free to sign a cheaper deal in San Jose where he wants to return. more (paid subscription) trade talk...

First up, the NHL Network and below, more of Stve Yzerman.  

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, Yzerman has been intrigued with Seider since watching the 6-foot-4, 198-pound right-hand shot at the world junior tournament. The all-around versatility Seider displayed, Yzerman said, was impressive. “We think he has excellent hockey sense,” Yzerman said. “Obviously he’s a big kid, real good skater. He’s a real smart player. When I first saw him, I was surprised. You’re going to see a young kid in Germany and you don’t expect that kind of hockey IQ. “In our opinion he was one of the top defensemen in the draft. Anyone we picked (at No. 6 overall) would have filled a need, based on where we’re at. A big, good skating, smart defenseman…it’s a very valuable asset.” Coach Jeff Blashill saw Seider up close during the world championships — Blashill coached Team USA — and came away impressed. “He’s big, efficient, smart and he plays under pressure,” Blashill said. “That’s what the best defensemen do. As an 18-year-old in a men’s league, he handled himself very well. He looks like a guy who can keep growing into his body.” more from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

VANCOUVER (June 21, 2019) -- Following are notes from the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft presented by adidas, held Friday at Rogers Arena: DEVILS SELECT HUGHES WITH FIRST OVERALL PICK The New Jersey Devils selected center Jack Hughes of USA Hockey's Under-18 team from the National Team Development Program first overall. Hughes is the eighth American-born player selected first overall in the NHL Draft and the first since Auston Matthews in 2016 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Year     First Overall           Picked By        Birthplace 2019     Jack Hughes           New Jersey       Orlando, Fla. 2016     Auston Matthews    Toronto             San Ramon, Calif. 2007     Patrick Kane            Chicago            Buffalo, N.Y. 2006     Erik Johnson           St. Louis           Bloomington, Minn. 2000     Rick DiPietro           NY Islanders     Winthrop, Mass. 1995     Bryan Berard           Ottawa              Woonsocket, R.I. 1988     Mike Modano          Minnesota         Livonia, Mich. 1983     Brian Lawton           Minnesota         New Brunswick, N.J.

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, At sixth overall in the 2019 NHL draft, the Detroit Red Wings picked German defenseman Moritz Seider at Rogers Arena. Seider was rookie of the year in the DEL, Germany’s top men’s hockey league in 2018-19. He had six points in 29 games for Mannheim. He brings size at 6 feet 3 and 208 pounds, and shoots right. Moritz looked stunned to hear his name called so early. It was the first pick with Steve Yzerman as general manager. Seider was ranked sixth among European skaters in final draft rankings. The Wings passed up several highly rated forwards — Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield — and the pick reflects the lack of defensemen depth in the organization. continued Video below via the Free Press... added 10:43pm, Watch Art Regne with Seider below. added 11:03pm, Watch Jeff Blashill on Seider below.

from Michael Traikos at the Toronto Sun, A dazzling U.S. centre who torched the National Development Program gets chosen No. 1 overall, followed by a hulking Finnish winger at No. 2 who is already dominating amongst men at the pro level. It looks familiar, doesn’t it? After all, it was only three years ago when Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine went 1-2 in the NHL Entry Draft 2016. On Friday night in Vancouver, a similar scene unfolded on the draft floor of Rogers Arena when the New Jersey Devils chose American centre Jack Hughes with the No. 1 pick and the New York Rangers followed it up by selecting Finland’s Kaapo Kakko at No. 2. Not to heap too much pressure on the young kids, but their two respective franchises can only hope that they have a similar effect as Matthews and Laine have had on the Maple Leafs and Jets. It’s obviously a high bar to meet. continued

from Dana Wakiji of the Wings' website. Seider was stunned when he heard his name so early in the draft. "I was shocked for sure. I didn't expect that at all," Seider said. "My whole body was shaking. I looked at my mom (Sabine) and she was so excited. It's been an unreal moment for me." Yzerman spoke briefly to NBC Sports Network about why they decided Moritz was their guy. "He's a very good prospect," Yzerman told NBC Sports Network. "We felt the top five kind of went somewhat as we expected, and this next group of players, including Moritz, they're very good prospects. Ultimately, what we liked is he's a a big defenseman who can skate and has excellent hockey sense. "There's a lot of players to choose from. It wasn't a no-brainer, but we're excited to get him." more Below, Detroit's press release on Seider.

via Sportsnet, Steve Yzerman explains why the Detroit Red Wings selected Moritz Seider with the sixth pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.     added 12:26am on 6/22/19, via Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, an extended video with Yzerman is below. added 12:33am, Watch Seider in a full media scrum below.

Round 1 of the 2019 #NHLDraft presented by adidas: https://t.co/eSv0XYQ2ep #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/CPeyAu4FIX — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 22, 2019

via Sportsnet, Chris Johnston and Irfaan Gaffar talk about the first day of the NHL draft which saw no players traded, even though plenty of rumours are floating around.  

4 minutes to watch and you are done, just like me.  Goodnight.  

via Sportsnet, Watch as the Detroit Red Wings make a pick not many people saw coming with by selecting Moritz Seider out of the DEL with the 6th overall pick.  

VANCOUVER, BC - The New Jersey Devils have used the first-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft to take Jack Hughes from the U.S. National Team Development Program. Hughes, 18, is a 5-foot-10, 171-pound center who was born in Orlando, Fla. NHL Central Scouting listed him as their top North American Skater in both their midterm and final rankings. Hughes is coming off a stellar season for the USA U-18 squad. He scored 34 goals and added 78 assists for 112 points in 50 games. He captained the Americans at the U-18 World Junior Championship, scoring nine goals and adding 11 assists in seven games.

NEW YORK, June 21, 2019 – With the second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Rangers selected forward Kaapo Kakko. Kakko, 18, skated in 45 games with TPS of Liiga (Finnish Elite League) this past season, registering 22 goals and 16 assists for 38 points, along with a plus-one rating and 10 penalty minutes. Kakko’s 22 goals in 2018-19 were the most any U18 player has registered in one season in the history of Finland’s top league, breaking the record of 21 set by Aleksander Barkov in 2012-13. In addition, Kakko’s 38 points this past season were the third-most in one season by a U18 player in the history of Finland’s top league, trailing only Barkov (48 in 2012-13) and Mikael Granlund (40 in 2009-10).

Get to know the newest Blackhawk, Kirby Dach! Give him a follow while you're at it: @kdach77 pic.twitter.com/7yiJzqkx2o — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 22, 2019

Welcome to Colorado, BOWEN BYRAM!#NHLDraft #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/QtkPf89DkB — Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 22, 2019

Updates end at #5 for me, will do a recap later.   At the No. 5 position, the @LAKings select @Turcotte__71. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/vqtOosIGTd — NHL (@NHL) June 22, 2019

Detroit Red Wings shocks everyone and picks big German defenseman Moritz Seider. Absolutely no one saw that coming. His name never came up in any rumors that I heard. BIG SWING for Stevie Y. — Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) June 22, 2019

With the general managers all together in Vancouver for the NHL Draft, big names are swirling around the rumour mill. Are the Canucks poised to make a big splash? The TSN Hockey Insiders examine some key players that are in play, explain what the Habs and Nucks are looking for, and share the latest in Mitch Marner's contract negotiations. Watch at TSN.

Coverage begins at 8:00pm ET on NBCSN and Sportsnet. Pre-draft coverage is on the NHL Network now. This post is yours, feel free to express your thoughts. Once the Wings make their pick tonight or perhaps make a trade, I will put up a new post. Until then, comment away and if you want to follow all of the 1st round draft picks, Sportsnet has a draft tracker ready to go.  Also, TSN has a live blog going with all the latest talk today. note- Day 2 of the draft starts at 1:00pm ET Saturday on the NHL Network and plans are for it to be streamed on NHL.com too.

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News, Don’t be surprised if the Red Wings address the goaltending position at some point during Saturday’s portion of the draft. The Wings have nine picks in rounds 2-7 – including three in the second round. The Wings would like to strengthen their goaltending depth in the organization. There’s no NHL-ready talent, at this stage, beyond Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Bernier. The Wings hope Filip Larsson will develop into an NHL goaltender, but he will begin his pro career this season in Grand Rapids. Patrik Rybar is unsigned to return to the Griffins. Recent draft picks Keith Petruzzelli, Joren Van Pottelberghe and Jesper Eliasson are still years away from potentially seeing the NHL. “We have several prospects acquired through the draft, we’re hoping they evolve into NHLers at some point,” Yzerman said. “Whether we use a pick on a goaltender I couldn’t definitively say. Certainly there are some guys in the draft that we have some interest in.” more topics, which if you have been following along the last few weeks have already been discussed...

from Frank Serevalli of TSN, The volume has been turned up on the noise surrounding Tyson Barrie’s future with the Colorado Avalanche in the last 48 hours. Whether or not Barrie remains with Colorado beyond NHL Draft weekend remains to be seen, but one thing is crystal clear: the Avalanche are listening to offers for the defenceman. Barrie has rejoined the TSN Trade Bait list at No. 5 after being a staple on the board in recent off-seasons. Talk surrounding a number of big-name defencemen, including P.K. Subban (No. 7) and Kris Letang (No. 12), is heating up here in Vancouver. But Barrie remains on the front burner. The hometown Vancouver Canucks headline a list of teams believed to be interested in the Victoria, B.C., native. Barrie would certainly be one way to make a splash as host of the draft. continued

from the CP at TSN, The players did not go to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and there is no deal in place for Beijing 2022. He said stopping the season in February simply isn't fair to the league. "It's not that I'm not a fan of the Olympics. I'm not a fan of disrupting our season," he said, noting that the cost of sending and insuring athletes costs the league around US$20 million. "We're not going to pay for the privilege of shutting down." Having players travel the world to play in non-NHL games can also cause imbalances between teams, with some losing several players to injury while others go relatively unscathed, Bettman added. "The disruption of the season is a real concern for the competitive integrity every night," he said. Still, the commissioner knows that playing in the Olympics is important to many NHL athletes. The issue is expected to be discussed in upcoming negotiations over the league's collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA could be terminated the fall of 2020. more (technology and the NHL)...

With the first pick in the NHL Draft...   Finally; if I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times, I think the @NJDevils g.m. #RayShero will opt for #KaapoKakko. No insider tip, just a hunch. — Stan Fischler (@StanFischler) June 21, 2019

NEW YORK (June 21, 2019) – The National Hockey League today announced the home openers for all 31 clubs for the 2019-20 regular season. The League’s complete 1,271-game schedule will be revealed live on NHL Network on Tuesday, June 25 at noon ET during NHL Tonight: 2019-20 Schedule Release, hosted by Jamison Coyle and analysts E.J. Hradek and Mike Johnson. The 30-minute program also will be streamed live on NHL.com and SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. FULL LIST OF HOME OPENERS, 2019-20 SEASON

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the home opener for the 2019-20 regular season, the franchise’s 94th campaign in the National Hockey League, is set for Sunday, Oct. 6 when the Red Wings host the Dallas Stars at 5:00 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings have won five of their last six home openers and own a 51-31-9-1 record all-time on opening night. Detroit has opened its home schedule against Dallas on two occasions and split the pair of matchups, with the Stars claiming a 2-1 win in 2013 and the Red Wings earning a 3-1 victory in 1997. The complete NHL 2019-20 regular season schedule will be revealed on Tuesday, June 25. Ticket on-sale information for the preseason and regular season will be announced at a later date. Fans can sign up for the Single-Game Ticket Presale List to have an opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public by clicking HERE.

Inscription Automne 2019

from Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com, Mitchell Marner can become a restricted free agent July 1, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are not certain to match an offer sheet given to him or any other player, general manager Kyle Dubas said Thursday. Asked about the potential for an offer sheet being given to Marner, Dubas said his intention is to keep the forward but that it would be contingent on the details and other pending free agents. "We're at the point now -- we can speak openly about it -- it would really depend on any of the players," Dubas said. "It's not just one guy. We've got a number of them." He mentioned forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, who each is a pending restricted free agent like Marner. "If there were an offer sheet, we'd look at what they are and what the compensation is for our team and make the decision based off that," Dubas said. "They're all very important players for us, so it's our intention they're here for as long as we can possibly keep them, but if the dollar amount doesn't make sense in terms of our internal economics in the marketplace and the compensation and such, it's going to be a decision on our end as to what we do. I wouldn't know one (way) or another without knowing where those are going to land, if they happen." continued

via the NHL PR department, 2019 NHL DRAFT COULD HAVE STRONG DOSE OF AMERICAN TALENT With many American players among the top-ranked prospects, a look at some of the country’s most successful showings in the NHL Draft: * Seven American-born players have been selected first overall in the NHL Draft, with Auston Matthews the last in 2016 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. * Five American-born players have been selected first overall by an American-based team: center Brian Lawton in 1983 (Minnesota North Stars), center Mike Modano in 1988 (Minnesota North Stars), goaltender Rick DiPietro in 2000 (New York Islanders), defenseman Erik Johnson in 2006 (St. Louis Blues) and forward Patrick Kane in 2007 (Chicago Blackhawks).

June 20, 2019 – As the New Jersey Devils prepare to make the #1 overall selection in the NHL Draft™ for the second time in three years, NHL Network™ is set to produce six live hours of Draft coverage, including Round 1 preview and recap shows, and the exclusive U.S. telecast of Rounds 2-7, live from the Vancouver Canucks’ Rogers Arena. Beginning this Friday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m. ET, NHL Tonight™: 2019 NHL Draft Preview will air interviews, analysis and in-depth segments on the top Draft prospects, followed by breakdowns of the first round selections on NHL Tonight: 2019 NHL Draft Round 1 Recap at 11:00 p.m. ET. Starting Saturday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network‘s exclusive coverage of Rounds 2-7 will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET and be streamed live by NHL.com, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and Sportsnet.

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, So one of the changes announced on Thursday was just that: from now on, referees will be “required to perform an on-ice video review for all major (non-fighting) and match penalties. The official can downgrade his call to a minor, of video evidence shows the referee that he perhaps overreacted to the call. That seems fair, doesn’t it? And it does not require a challenge from one of the coaches, something Bettman would rather cull from the game. Challenges, as we have learned, become an act of desperation late in a one-goal game. Coaches have nothing to lose, and the game is slowed down because of it. On Thursday the GMs eliminated the number of challenges a coach can make, but they will now come with escalating consequences if the challenge is unsuccessful. The first unsuccessful challenge of any type results in a minor penalty against the challenging team (no more losing their timeout). Each successive unsuccessful challenge will result in a double-minor. As such, the GMs made the goalie interference challenge just like offside. Where it used to be that a failed goaltender interference call cost a team their timeout, now it will mean a two-minute minor that is assessed immediately after the goal in question. more

“I have to admit now, I love the fact that our draft looks different from other leagues. When I first arrived, I asked why we have these tables out on the floor.  get it now: the uniqueness of having those tables, these people have worked so hard for a year, travelling around the world, this is their moment. That’s the signature, that makes our draft visually unique.” -Steve Mayer, NHL Chief Content Officer via Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province who has more on this topic.

from Ansar Khan of Mlive, Steve Yzerman’s first draft as Detroit Red Wings general manager could have a profound effect on the franchise’s rebuild. The Red Wings figure to get an impactful player with the sixth pick and they have a good opportunity to find solid contributors in second round, where they have three selections (Nos. 35, 54 and 60). Overall, Detroit has 10 picks.... “Ideally, we’d hit on all of these prospects and have players that turn out for us, but there’s no guarantee of that,” Yzerman said during his pre-draft media address last week. “When you look back at the histories of drafts and the percentage of players playing for us, it’s more difficult than it seems. The more players you get out of each draft, it speeds up the process.” Center Jack Hughes of the U.S. National Team Development Program and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko are certain to be the first two players taken, by New Jersey and the New York Rangers. It is difficult to predict the order of the next 10 to 12 picks, but defenseman Bo Byram of Vancouver (WHL) is highly unlikely to be available for the Red Wings at No. 6. That’s why Detroit will probably take one of several highly rated centers, one or two of whom will probably be off the board: Alex Turcotte and Trevor Zegras of the USNTDP, Kirby Dach of Saskatoon (WHL) and Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge (WHL). read on

from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Rumblings around the league Thursday: - Several teams have already shown interest in UFA winger Corey Perry since this buyout took effect Wednesday. There’s mutual interest between Perry and the Nashville Predators, sources say. In fact, I think Nashville was one of the teams on his short list he’d waive his no-trade for when Anaheim was first trying to trade him. Another club that has an interest is the Chicago Blackhawks, according to a source.... - A source suggested to me Thursday that Bergevin has inquired with Philadelphia on left-handed D Shayne Gostisbehere. He’s not alone. After acquiring blueliners Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun over the past week, the Flyers have gotten a number of calls on Gostisbehere. GM Chuck Fletcher is telling teams he’d rather keep him but obviously will listen.... - Don’t count out the Blue Jackets just yet on pending UFA star centre Matt Duchene. A source said Thursday that Columbus remains in the mix. I don’t believe Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has made a firm contract offer yet; I think he’s waiting to know from agent Pat Brisson when and if they would be ready to get serious that way. My sense is the Duchene camp would want to keep Columbus in the fold while also talking to teams to compare what’s out there.... more (paid subscription)...

VANCOUVER (June 20, 2019) — The National Hockey League announced today a series of rule changes for the 2019-20 season which will include the use of expanded video review and enhanced player safety initiatives, as well as promoting even more offense and flow in the game.  The rule changes were unanimously approved by the League’s Board of Governors, NHL General Managers and the Competition Committee over the past week. NHL Hockey Operations will work on the precise Rule Book language over the coming weeks.  Following is an overview of the changes:

Gary Bettmn talking with the media on rule changes and video review. I am sure  press release will come out, but until it does...  Also checkout Friedman's recent timeline for more.   Second change is: for major and match penalties. Ref who made call will review it, and will confirm if either major or minor. But it must be at least a minor. — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 21, 2019

Jim Benning is looking for a defenceman for his Canucks, while the Oilers and Flames could be looking to unload a few contracts. The Insiders have the latest on what the GMs in Western Canada are looking to accomplish heading into the NHL Draft. Watch at TSN.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed goaltender Ryan Miller, defenseman Korbinian Holzer and center Derek Grant to one-year contract extensions through the 2019-20 NHL season.

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning announced forward Ryan Callahan will be placed on long-term injury reserve with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. Callahan, 34, skated in 52 games with the Lightning during the 2018-19 season, collecting seven goals and 17 points to go along with 14 penalty minutes. The Rochester, New York native has appeared in 757 career NHL games with the Bolts and New York Rangers, recording 186 goals and 386 points. via Caley Chelios tweet, BriseBois, "He’s such a proud competitor such a fierce competitor. I know he was planning to not only play out this contract, but sign another contract after that. We had multiple conversations in the second half of the season about his future so that was very sad news for him."

Ken Holland on Jesse Puljujarvi: "I'm not giving a player away because they're unhappy. No way. If I trade any player I have to get fair value or I'm not doing it. I'm not trading a player to get him out of my hair." — Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) June 20, 2019

Go with your head and not your heart, which means who do you think Mr. Yzerman will draft, not who you want to see them draft. Of course, a trade is always an option too. If you need help, Bob McKenzie of TSN lists (at the bottom of the article) his Top 93 prospects.

Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today the club has re-signed defenceman Alex Edler to a two-year contract extension at an average annual value of $6 million. "Alex is important to our team and has played as the cornerstone of our defence throughout his career," said Benning. "He's a leader with tremendous experience, plays important minutes and contributes to every part of our team game. We're very pleased for Alex and his family that he'll continue his career as a Vancouver Canuck." Edler, 33, recorded 34 points (10-24-34) in 56 games during the 2018.19 season. In 13 NHL seasons, all as a Vancouver Canuck, Edler's 368 points (94-274-368) rank first among defencemen and 17th all-time. He also ranks first among defencemen in power-play points (170), is 7th all-time in games played (814), 8th in assists (274) and 14th in all-time playoff scoring (8-23-31) in 65 postseason games.

from Mark Whicker of the LA Daily News, Finally, those who doubted Corey Perry’s hockey future might be right. It just took 14 seasons, four All-Star games and 372 goals. They might not be right either. The Ducks bought out Perry’s contract Wednesday. He had lost a step while the NHL had gained two. He wasn’t a first-line player anymore. Nobody inside the franchise could stomach watching him play on the fourth. The quickest way to feel old is to watch Perry, 34, grow old, because he always played like Ryan Getzlaf’s rambunctious little brother. They were born six days apart, and Perry kept going where he didn’t belong, emerging with a goal, a welt and a smirk. That was his personal hat trick. “People didn’t realize he was such a big guy,” said Sean O’Donnell, who played with and against Perry and shared that Stanley Cup in 2007. “But he had that baby face and that little head. He’d go to the net and stay there no matter what you did to him, and he’d figure out a way to score and you never knew how he did it. “You loved him as a teammate because he would do anything to win. You didn’t like him as an opponent because he was a pain in the butt.” continued

from Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, ... Along the way — Feb. 5, to be exact — the Leafs signed Auston Matthews to a five-year contract with an annual average value of $11.634-million US. Ferris, it’s believed, is seeking for Marner a similar contract, at least where the AAV is concerned, to that of Matthews. In other words, the potential of a long summer regarding negotiations looms, and never mind where the talks could stand come the opening of training camp in September. We spoke to Ferris briefly on Wednesday afternoon. Regarding the Marner negotiations with Dubas now, Ferris would only offer a polite, “No comment.” If Ferris is able to convince Dubas that Matthews-type money is what his client deserves, the Leafs would become the only team in the NHL with three players under contract with an AAV exceeding $11 million, as John Tavares signed for seven years and $77 million last July.... The Leafs, of course, are staring down major salary-cap issues, and now there is speculation the cap for the 2019-20 season might not hit the original estimation of $83 million. This is not good news for Dubas, who needs every cent he can get. more

Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News looks at the draft for the Wings (Pistons too), This is the first chance to see the new guy running the Wings, kid by the name of Steve Yzerman, whose team-building acumen is well-established.... It’s understandable if the Wings aren’t interested in risk, not yet. They have the No. 6 overall pick, three more in the second round and five of the first 66. They have a chance to shake it up — Yzerman was a willing draft-day dealer with the Lightning and could be so Friday — but they don’t need to, not with plenty of talent available at No. 6. They like the direction of their rebuild and Yzerman has time and leeway.... The Wings are in a difference place, flush with talented young forwards such as Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi. They need a goalie for the future and they definitely need defensemen, via the draft or free-agency starting July 1.... “We have spots on the roster available, but before doing it through trade, I’d look at free-agency to fill those spots,” Yzerman said. “I also want to have some opportunity for our younger players. I’m not gonna sign a free-agent just to sign a free-agent.” The Wings should get a very good prospect at No. 6, as they did a year ago when Filip Zadina fell to them. It’s unclear if Yzerman will go bold or safe, and there are intriguing possibilities. Russian winger Vasily Podkolzin might be the third-best prospect overall, but he’s under contract in the KHL. An NHL team could take him, let him develop, then have a seasoned player in two years, as long as he’s willing to leave Russia. Another fascinating player is winger Cole Caufield, the most-prolific goal-scorer in the draft, although he’s only 5-7. more