Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko will miss Game 2 against PredatorsVideo
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Vancouver Canucks will be without goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday. Coach Rick Tocchet said the 28-year-old netminder is going to be evaluated later Tuesday and is “day to day.” “He skated yesterday....
Matthews scores as Maple Leafs beat Bruins 3-2 to tie series
BOSTON — Auston Matthews scored on a breakaway to snap a third-period tie with eight minutes left, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Monday night to knot their first-round playoff series at one game apiece. Ilya Samsonov stopped 27 shots for Toronto, which snapped an...
Sabres bring back Lindy Ruff as coach in hopes of ending playoff drought
Lindy Ruff is returning to Buffalo for a second stint as coach of the Sabres. General manager Kevyn Adams announced the hiring Monday. Adams had strongly hinted at bringing Ruff back into the fold when talking about hiring a coach with significant NHL experience. Ruff coached the Sabres from 1997-2013...
Matt Rempe, Rangers’ 4th line comes through vs. Capitals
NEW YORK — Matt Rempe and the New York Rangers’ fourth line made their presence felt in the opener of their first-round series against the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Jimmy Vesey had a goal and an assist, home-crowd favorite Rempe also scored and Barclay Goodrow had two assists in the...
Big goaltender decisions await several teams in Stanley Cup playoffs
DENVER — Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev went home after a recent shaky outing and immediately watched film — the car-racing thriller “The Fast and the Furious.” Anything to keep his own mind from racing. It’s playoff time, where teams march to the beat of their goaltenders. They want them laser-focused,...
NHL PLAYOFFS: West best Dallas vs. defending champion Vegas headlines 1st-round matchupsVideo
All eight first-round matchups in the NHL playoffs are set after the last day of the regular season flipped two of the biggest series in the West. The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will open against West top seed Dallas. Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers will face the Los...
John Tortorella says he failed to get Flyers to ‘close the deal’ in wake of late-season collapseVideo
VOORHEES, N.J. — Put those playoff plans on hold, Flyers fans. And not just this season. Philadelphia is stuck on the outside of the postseason for the fourth straight year after its fate was decided in Game 82. The Flyers’ acceleration from expected painful rebuild to the cusp of the...
Utah’s new NHL team needs new name, as well
The NHL team moving from Arizona to Salt Lake City will be known as Utah, at least initially, until a long-term name is determined. “We’ll start with Utah on the jersey, and we’ll figure out the logo and everything else and what it is that we are,” new owner Ryan...
‘It’s wide open’ is theme as race to Stanley Cup begins
General manager Don Waddell likes how his Carolina Hurricanes finished the season, winning 16 of their final 21 games. He knows it means nothing now. “Your points get erased, and you all start with zeroes,” Waddell said. “Playoffs are a different time. That’s what’s great about the NHL. Once you...
Former NHL star Jaromir Jagr scores in his first game since turning 52Video
KLADNO, Czech Republic — Jaromir Jagr returned to action Thursday for the first time since turning 52 and immediately scored as he surpassed legend Gordie Howe to become the oldest player taking regular shifts in professional ice hockey. Howe, known as “Mr. Hockey,” was 52 years, 11 days old when...
Coyotes officially leaving Arizona for Salt Lake City after vote
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes officially are headed to Salt Lake City. The NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $1.2 billion sale from Alex Meruelo to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, clearing the way for the franchise’s move to Utah next season. The...
First Call: 49ers reportedly dismiss Steelers’ Brandon Aiyuk trade call; Marc-Andre Fleury discusses plan to play next yearVideo
Thursday’s “First Call” gives us San Francisco’s reaction to a Steelers trade inquiry for Brandon Aiyuk. We also have an interesting note about a Steelers draft option. Pirates prospect Paul Skenes gets ready to pitch again in Indianapolis. And Marc-Andre Fleury explains his decision to come back for one more...
Coyotes end tenure in desert with raucous atmosphere before move
TEMPE, Ariz. — Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the three years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah. For 60 minutes, they got one last chance to watch the team they came to love before the franchise as they know it...
Rangers’ Artemi Panarin has career year with MVP-caliber numbers
Artemi Panarin was an established offensive player before he signed with the New York Rangers in 2019. He has only boosted his numbers since then and is coming off a career year going into the playoffs. The Russian forward averaged 29 goals and 51 assists in his first four seasons...
Montreal Canadiens exercise option on Martin St. Louis’ contract
BROSSARD, Quebec — The Montreal Canadiens exercised the two-year option of the contract of coach Martin St. Louis, committing him to the team for the next three seasons. Montreal hired St. Louis on an interim basis following Dominique Ducharme’s dismissal in February 2022. The 48-year-old Canadian was named coach at...
NHL has no appetite to expand playoffs beyond its 16-team tournament for the Stanley Cup
Sixteen teams, each one needing to win 16 games over four rounds of best-of-seven series to lift the Stanley Cup, has been the way the NHL decides its champion for nearly four decades. That isn’t changing any time soon. The NHL is the only one of the major four North...
Marc-Andre Fleury signs a $2.5M extension with the Wild to return for next season at age 40
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild signed goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to a one-year, $2.5 million contract extension on Wednesday, bringing back the veteran for his age-40 season. Fleury, who turns 40 on Nov. 28, has had a prolific season in which he passed Patrick Roy for second place behind...
Hockey business booming as NHL bounces back from pandemic in big way
NEW YORK — Arenas are full, the NHL is a fixture on TV screens across North America, highlight-reel goals are talking points on a near-daily basis and “The Pat McAfee Show” even has a segment called “Hockey is Awesome.” Piece it all together, and more eyes are on the puck...
Buffalo Sabres fire head coach Don Granato after extending playoff drought to 13th season
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres fired head coach Don Granato on Tuesday, making him the seventh coach to be ousted during what’s grown into an NHL-record 13-season playoff drought. The move was announced by the team a day after the Sabres closed their season with a 4-2 win at...
Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Mark Giordano among veterans going for 1st Stanley Cup
Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns made the playoffs seven times together as teammates in San Jose, reaching the conference finals and getting all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 under Peter DeBoer. Zach Parise captained New Jersey to the final in 2012. All those runs ended in...
First Call: As Steelers talk swirls, Brandon Aiyuk’s agent denies trade request story; Tee Higgins’ future in Cincy
Pittsburgh Steelers fans interested in their team acquiring Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins at wide receiver won’t be thrilled at news coming out of San Francisco and Cincinnati. We also preview the Penguins’ game against Nashville and the Pirates’ trip to New York. All that in Monday’s “First Call.” San...
Coyotes sale to Utah Jazz owner expected next week, Arizona to get expansion team, AP source saysVideo
TEMPE. Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes likely will be sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith shortly after the team’s final game and will include a provision guaranteeing current owner Alex Meruelo an expansion team if a new arena is built within five years, a person with knowledge of the...
First Call: Potential AFC destination for Levi Wallace; Steelers’ draft preference reported; Penguins’ playoff pictureVideo
Friday’s “First Call” takes a look at a Steelers defensive back who could be heading to Denver. We have an interesting report about the Steelers’ draft strategy. It was an impactful night for the Penguins playoff chances. And a Pens prospect had another huge moment at the Frozen Four. Losing...
Preparations are being made for a potential NHL team in Salt Lake City
Preparations are being made behind the scenes and in the public eye in case an NHL team is in Salt Lake City sooner than later. Prospective owner Ryan Smith on social media earlier this week solicited suggestions for a team name. Smith, who owns the NBA’s Utah Jazz, in January...
Devils All-Star Jack Hughes needs shoulder surgery, will miss rest of season
NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils All-Star forward Jack Hughes is going to miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury that will require surgery this week. The Devils announced the decision Tuesday, less than two hours before they were to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in...
