A man arrested over death of Adam Johnson whose neck was cut with skate blade is released on bail
LONDON — A man who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of American ice hockey player Adam Johnson, whose neck was cut by a skate during a game, was released on bail Wednesday. Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers on Oct....
Oilers fire coach Jay Woodcroft, name Kris Knoblauch replacementVideo
Jay Woodcroft is out as coach of the Edmonton Oilers after a team that was supposed to be a Stanley Cup contender lost 10 of its first 13 games. Woodcroft was fired Sunday at the end of the team’s road trip, which wrapped up with a 4-1 win at Seattle...
Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom unlikely to play again this season
ARLINGTON, Va. — Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said it’s unlikely Nicklas Backstrom plays again this season after the Swedish center stepped away from the team last week, citing the ongoing issues with his surgically repaired left hip. MacLellan stopped short of ruling Backstrom out for the remainder of...
First Call: DeAndre Hopkins expected to play vs. Steelers; watch Logan Cooley’s first NHL goal
Thursday’s “First Call” has an important injury update for this evening’s Steelers-Titans game. We have more details about that reported Steelers trade with the Bears that never happened on Tuesday. A Pittsburgh-area NHL player just notched his first goal. And we remember a Pittsburgh connection to the late Bobby Knight....
Ottawa’s Shane Pinto suspended 41 games, becomes 1st modern NHL player banned for gambling
The NHL suspended Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto for 41 games on Thursday, making the 22-year-old American the first modern-day player banned for sports gambling. The league said the half-season ban was for “activities relating to sports wagering” and that its investigation found no evidence Pinto bet on NHL games....
NHL rescinds ban on rainbow-colored Pride tape, allowing players to use it on the ice this season
NHL players will be allowed to use Pride tape this season after all with the reversal of a ban that sparked a backlash around hockey and among LGBTQ+ advocates in sports. The league, players’ union and a committee on inclusion agreed to give players the option to represent social causes...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Barry Melrose belongs in Hockey Hall of Fame
We’ve lost the plot when it comes to Halls of Fame. Halls of Fame used to be grandiose and special. Look at the Baseball Hall of Fame’s first class: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth. Unimpeachable. It was a special honor for special athletes. Halls...
Flames prospect Topi Ronni, 19, being investigated for rape in native FinlandVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni informed his Finnish Elite League team on Thursday that he is under investigation for a rape allegation that occurred two years ago in his native Finland. In an announcement posted on its website, Tappara Tampere said Ronni is stepping away from team...
First Call: Steelers reportedly move on from Desmond King; Evgeni Malkin snubbed from another Top 100 list
Wednesday’s “First Call” starts with a surprising move by the Pittsburgh Steelers and a surprising omission for the Penguins from an ESPN list. Plus, it was a memorable night for a former Penguin, and an ex-Pirates executive may land a big-time job back in Major League Baseball. Well, that was...
First Call: Fox rates Mike Tomlin 3rd-best coach; James Harrison on T.J. Watt setting the sack record
Thursday’s “First Call” illustrates the love the national media still has for Mike Tomlin. James Harrison applauds T.J. Watt while J.J. Watt discusses the scrutiny of Matt Canada. Also, Connor Bedard scores his first NHL goal, and an ex-Pittsburgh Penguin gets off on the right foot. Laying it on a...
Jonas Johansson wins in debut as Lightning beat Predators in NHL season openerVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Jonas Johansson made 29 saves in his first start in place of the injured Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nicholas Paul had two third-period power-play goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Nashville Predators, 5-3, in the NHL regular-season opener Tuesday night. Johansson was signed to be Vasilevskiy’s backup....
Barry Melrose retiring as ESPN’s longtime hockey analyst after Parkinson’s disease diagnosis
Former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose is stepping away from his career as one of hockey’s most recognized analysts after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, ESPN announced on Tuesday. The news of Melrose’s illness and retirement was made on ESPN’s SportsCenter on the same day the NHL 2023-24 season...
As NHL season begins, long-anticipated salary cap boom coming in summer 2024Video
Welcome to what folks around the NHL hope is the last season of the flat cap era. Since the pandemic depleted the hockey business like so many others and after the playoffs were bubble wrapped to award the Stanley Cup, the league has been digging out of a hole deeper...
NHL issues updated theme night guidance, which includes a ban on players using Pride tape on the iceVideo
The NHL sent a memo to teams last week clarifying what players can and cannot do as part of theme celebrations this season, including a ban on the use of rainbow-colored stick tape for the Pride nights that have become a hot-button issue in hockey. The updated guidance reaffirms on-ice...
Change of pace: Peter Laviolette brings an up-tempo style to Rangers as third coach in four seasonsVideo
NEW YORK — Peter Laviolette is the New York Rangers’ third coach in four seasons. His arrival in the offseason brought in another system, another philosophy and another coaching style. The championship expectations remain the same. Laviolette, who led Carolina to the Stanley Cup championship in 2006, said he knows...
Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup shows the value of depth at every positionVideo
Leon Draisaitl acknowledged there was a reason he and the Edmonton Oilers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the playoffs last season. Asked what stood out about the team that eliminated them and went on to win the Stanley Cup, one thing came to the German star’s mind. “They’re...
Lessons from last season could shape how NHL’s top contenders vie for Stanley Cup in 2024Video
All Connor McDavid wants to do after establishing himself as the best hockey player in the world is win the Stanley Cup. He knows he can’t do that in October, when the NHL playoffs feel like they are a lifetime away. “There’s 82 full games before you can get back...
Bruins hope to finish job this season after record-setting run ended in playoff flopVideo
BOSTON — The Boston Bruins are looking ahead at a new season, not back at the one where they posted the best record in NHL history and then lost in the first round of the playoffs. “My rearview mirror is broken,” team president Cam Neely said as the 2023 Presidents...
Blackhawks’ Nick Foligno impressed with Connor Bedard, ready to help lead Chicago
CHICAGO — Nick Foligno texted and called Connor Bedard over the summer, and the veteran had the rookie over to his home. It was a full-circle moment for Foligno ahead of his 17th NHL season. “It brings me back to when I was 19 and I came into the team...
North Huntingdon native Austen Swankler enters transfer portal, alleging hazing at Bowling Green
Austin Swankler, a native of North Huntingdon who was the fifth-leading scorer in NCAA men’s hockey last season with Bowling Green, has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal, alleging he was the victim of hazing at the school. “I came out about everything that happened to stop future incidents from occurring,”...
Golden Knights back to work after Stanley Cup win, short offseasonVideo
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights went from hoisting the Stanley Cup, to a victory parade on the Strip, to a summer of celebrating, to now getting down to the business of playing hockey again. A short offseason is a good problem to have but still an issue. “That’s...
NHL training camp primer: Big questions to answer from Anaheim to ColumbusVideo
Exactly 100 days after the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup for the first time, training camps open around the NHL on Thursday. The Golden Knights bring back nearly the same roster in their bid to repeat, and the Panthers are still licking their...
First Call: Ben Roethlisberger supports current Steelers O-lineman; pair of ex-Penguins traded for each other
Tuesday’s “First Call” features some support for a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman from former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Raiders may try to get a familiar face back in the mix against the Steelers. We check the TV ratings to see how the Backyard Brawl did compared to the huge numbers...
Blue Jackets executive admits a ‘major misstep’ in hiring Mike Babcock, who was forced to resignVideo
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Blue Jackets owners and executives Monday were contrite over the forced resignation of controversial coach Mike Babcock days before the opening of training camp and eager to move on from the turmoil that engulfed the organization. “All we can do now is learn from it and...
Mike Babcock resigns as Blue Jackets coach amid investigation involving players’ photos
Mike Babcock resigned as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday after word emerged earlier this week of him asking players to show him photos on their phones. The team announced Babcock’s shocking departure in the aftermath of an investigation by the NHL Players’ Association into his conduct. Pascal...
