8:42 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin left the Washington Capitals‘ preseason finale against Philadelphia on Friday night with what the team called a lower-body injury and is set to be examined further Saturday. Ovechkin bumped into Flyers forward Travis Konecny midway through the first period and then went down to the ice.
NHL
10:52 AM ET The Florida Panthers have secured their franchise center with a blockbuster contract. Aleksander Barkov has agreed to an eight-year, $80 million contract with the Panthers, a source told ESPN on Friday. The majority of the contract consists of signing-bonus money. It’s the largest contract in total dollars ever handed out by the
7:00 AM ET The 2021-22 NHL season is being called a return to normalcy. Last season was an unprecedented one for the NHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Four geographically realigned divisions, including one solely comprising Canadian teams; teams playing only opponents within those divisions; and a new playoff format that eschewed wild-card teams. But
8:50 PM ET Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils‘ preseason game against the New York Islanders was canceled Thursday night due to a power outage in part of Prudential Center. The lights in one area of the arena went out before the start of the game and could not be restored. After
7:31 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman was suspended for one preseason game and one regular-season game without pay Thursday for boarding Winnipeg Jets forward Jansen Harkins. Coleman was assessed a minor penalty for boarding at 6 minutes, 15 seconds of the second period in the Flames’ 3-2 preseason
1:46 PM ET Associated Press Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane and defenseman Seth Jones and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews were the first three players named to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team Thursday. “It’s no secret we’re excited about the prospects of our team for the 2022 Games,” said USA Hockey general manager
1:31 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the next two preseason games against the Dallas Stars, the team announced Thursday. Assistant coaches Ray Bennett and Nolan Pratt will take Bednar’s place on the bench, the team tweeted. The Avalanche play in Dallas
11:29 AM ET Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has left the team to voluntarily enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The Canadiens had indicated Price was unlikely to be ready for the season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 13. Coach Dominique Ducharme said Wednesday that Price was “not doing well right now.”
7:00 AM ET As the 2021-22 NHL season arrives, so does the pressure of expectations. Every player, coach and general manager feels the heat to some degree. But some feel its intensity like a neglected hamburger under a fast food restaurant lamp, sizzling and spoiling and preparing to be tossed away. Here are my “hot
9:18 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield, a highly touted rookie already being mentioned as a candidate for the Calder Trophy, suffered a left ankle fracture in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Arizona Coyotes and is out indefinitely. Byfield, 19, the No. 2 overall pick in the