2:09 PM ET Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon isn’t sure how many fans could occupy an NHL arena for games next season. He just believes it’s essential that they’re there. “I think the start of next season, everybody has to be careful with [it] because I think you need fans. And so if it means
NHL
12:25 PM ET ESPN News Services Longtime NHL forward Joel Ward announced his retirement on Monday. Ward, 39, last played in the NHL in 2018 for the San Jose Sharks. He went to training camp with Montreal in 2018-19 but was unable to get another shot and decided officially to end his career in an
7:30 AM ET If there’s one thing NHL scouts hate, it’s re-drafts. The reverse engineering and 20-20 hindsight makes it all too easy for us to ask “What if?” and point out where everyone went wrong in evaluations. But unfortunately for those scouts, that’s also what makes re-drafts fun exercises. There is no magic formula
9:37 AM ET When General Motors repurposed one of its dormant plants in Warren, Michigan, to produce face masks for front-line workers, it needed some help for a crucial step: disinfecting. So the company turned to the hockey community for an assist. GM called the Ilitch family, which owns the Detroit Red Wings. Christopher Ilitch
7:00 AM ET It has been 46 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 season. As the cancellations and postponements around the world of sports continue, the 2020 NFL draft was staged virtually this weekend, to mostly positive reviews. Could that be a preview of what’s to come for the NHL?
4:51 PM ET The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to a two-year contract extension on Thursday, the team announced. Financial terms were not disclosed, but according to multiple reports, the annual average value for Merzlikins’ deal is $4 million. The 26-year-old Latvian rookie is tied for second in shutouts (5) and is fifth
2:09 AM ET NHL greats Wayne Gretzky and Alex Ovechkin might not be the greatest when it comes to virtual hockey, but their deadlock Wednesday night left plenty of winners as they helped raise over $40,000 for relief efforts related to the coronavirus pandemic. With over 300,000 watching their EA Sports NHL 20 showdown via
8:30 AM ET NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had a message for his general managers this week. “We don’t live in a world of perfect anymore. We’re going to have to make adjustments,” he said. “If we can’t do ideal, if we can’t do perfect, then we’ll have to figure out what’s next to perfect.” To
8:24 PM ET NHL commissioner Gary Bettman discussed a potential four-arena plan for a season restart, a draft held before the season is completed and fans returning to games during a wide-ranging interview with Sportsnet on Wednesday. “Anything we’re considering doing starts with health and well-being, whether it’s the players or other personnel or fans
7:06 PM ET ESPN News Services New Jersey Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine is focusing on having his team ready to play, should the NHL resume games after a pause caused by the coronavirus pandemic, rather than whether he will have a job next season. Speaking Wednesday on a conference call, Nasreddine said he is