8:30 AM ET NHL free agency officially begins on Wednesday at noon ET, but it’s already been an absolutely wild offseason in hockey. With the salary cap rising by only $1 million from last season, teams have been forced into difficult decisions, such as: Still, some potential free agents removed themselves from the market by
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12:20 AM ET The Pittsburgh Penguins signed veteran forward Rickard Rakell to a six-year contract extension, the team announced late Monday night. The contract runs through the 2027-28 season, and carries an average annual value of $5 million. Rakell, 29, among some of the trade-deadline departures from the Anaheim Ducks last season, found a fit
1:21 PM ET ESPN News Services The Edmonton Oilers have granted Evander Kane permission to speak with other teams before the NHL’s free-agency period opens, his agent said Monday. In a text to multiple media outlets, Kane’s agent, Daniel Milstein, wrote he’s opening talks with other teams while also continuing discussions with the Oilers. His
8:35 AM ET Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland has surveyed the NHL free-agent landscape every summer since 1997. What does he see as the 2022 market prepares to officially open Wednesday at noon? “Lots of teams are tight on the cap, so it’s going to be interesting,” Holland told ESPN. “And then other teams
5:44 PM ET The Colorado Avalanche have signed pending restricted free agent Alexandar Georgiev to a three-year extension, the club announced on Sunday. Financial details were not disclosed in the release, but sources confirmed to ESPN the deal comes with a $3.4 million AAV ($10.2 million total). Colorado acquired Georgiev’s negotiating rights from the New
2:07 PM ET Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — All-Star forward Adrian Kempe has agreed to a four-year, $22 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The club announced the deal Sunday with Kempe, who set career highs with 35 goals and 54 points last season while earning his first All-Star Game selection. Kempe
11:11 AM ET The Nashville Predators have re-signed forward Filip Forsberg to an eight-year contract extension days before he was set to reach unrestricted free agency, the team announced on Saturday. Forsberg’s deal carries an average annual value of $8.5 million against the NHL salary cap, a source confirmed to ESPN. There was no word
5:23 PM ET MONTREAL — The 2022 NHL draft is in the books, as 225 players were selected over the course of seven rounds and two days. Before getting to the annual list of draft winners and draft losers, let’s focus on the event’s biggest leader: Holding the draft in person again, and in Montreal.
11:15 AM ET The free-agent goalie market continues to thin after the St. Louis Blues traded the signing rights of pending unrestricted free agent Ville Husso to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday for the No. 73 pick in the 2022 NHL draft. Husso subsequently signed a three-year, $14.25 million contract with the Red Wings.
11:55 PM ET The New Jersey Devils traded two picks for Washington Capitals goalie Vitek Vanecek. The Devils are sent a second-round draft pick (No. 37 overall) and a third-rounder (No. 70) to the Capitals for the 26-year-old restricted free agent and the Capitals’ second-round selection (No. 46 overall, originally from Winnipeg). Here we go
12:47 PM ET The trades continued to flow during the 2022 NHL draft’s second day, as the Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman Tony DeAngelo from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a fourth-round pick (101st overall, used on Simon Forsmark) in 2022, third-round pick in 2023 (the lowest of Philadelphia’s three picks) and a second-round choice
10:29 AM ET MONTREAL — The Detroit Red Wings have acquired St. Louis Blues goalie Ville Husso, who was a pending unrestricted free agent. Detroit sent a third-round pick, the 73rd overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, to the Blues for Husso. Husso has agreed to a three-year contract with Detroit worth $4.75 million
12:29 AM ET MONTREAL — Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong smiled when he was called an “NHL draft nerd” after the first round ended Thursday night. “It was extremely fun,” he said. “We were in town early. Maybe a couple days too early. But we were excited about the draft. Had some fun with
7:55 PM ET ESPN staff The 2022 NHL draft is finally here! From the first round (7 p.m. ET Thursday, ESPN), all the way to pick No. 225, this page will be your home for tracking every selection, including notes on team fit for the 32 players taken in the first round from Kristen Shilton
1:32 PM ET The Colorado Avalanche acquired goalie Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers for three NHL draft picks, as the Stanley Cup champions reshuffle their goaltending for next season. The Rangers added the Avalanche’s 2022 third-round (97th overall) and fifth-round (161st) picks, as well as a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft.
7:00 AM ET The 2022 NHL draft, to be held at Montreal’s Bell Centre, is scheduled to begin Thursday night at 7 ET (ESPN), with plenty of intrigue from the very top down. While Shane Wright of the Ontario Hockey League has been considered the most likely player to be taken by the Canadiens at
7:34 PM ET MONTREAL — The NHL’s general managers met on the eve of the 2022 NHL draft. What their meeting lacked in rules changes or policy news, it made up for with post-meeting news and buzz on trades, free agents and other league matters. Here’s a glimpse at what was said, and heard, in
3:49 PM ET ESPN News Services Former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment died unexpectedly Wednesday in Montreal, the NHL announced. He was 53. Marchment was attending the NHL draft in Montreal as a scout for San Jose Sharks. A cause of death was not immediately available. “The National Hockey League mourns the passing of San Jose