7:28 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — While the Toronto Maple Leafs and Raptors gear up for next season, Scotiabank Arena is getting a multimillion-dollar face-lift. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Michael Friisdahl calls it a “reimagination” of the venue that opened in February 1999. “We’ve got to keep getting better, we’ve
NHL
6:46 PM ET Associated Press GLENDALE, Ariz. — Alex Meruelo’s specialty as a businessman has been to resurrect struggling companies. His billion-dollar portfolio includes casinos, TV and radio stations, food services, real estate, hospitality, construction and engineering. Meruelo’s latest acquisition could be one of his most challenging: turning the Arizona Coyotes into consistent winners while
2:17 PM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN The New York Rangers bought out the last two years of Kevin Shattenkirk‘s contract Thursday after deciding the defenseman doesn’t fit into their ambitious rebuild. Shattenkirk, 30, played 119 games with the Rangers over the last two seasons, scoring 51 points (7 goals, 44 assists) with a minus-29. But his
2:16 PM ET Associated Press PITTSBURGH — Recently retired forward Matt Cullen is sticking with the Pittsburgh Penguins, joining the hockey operations department. The team announced Thursday that Cullen will have a player development role. General manager Jim Rutherford called Cullen a “valuable asset” who will put his 21 years of NHL experience to use
8:31 AM ET Arizona Coyotes top defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was bitten on the hand by his family dog in May but is expected to be fine for the beginning of the season. According to reports, the 28-year-old was briefly hospitalized and received four stitches. The dog was euthanized because it had been involved in similar
12:01 PM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN The Ottawa Senators are circumventing the salary cap. OK, that’s a bit of hyperbole, which I believe is legally allowed when opining about hockey in early August. It’s more accurate to say that the Ottawa Senators are circumventing “the spirit” of the salary cap. They currently have a projected cap
11:27 AM ET The Colorado Avalanche have signed defenseman Samuel Girard to a seven-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday. The new deal runs through the 2026-27 season. The annual average value of the deal is $5 million, according to the Denver Post. Girard, Cale Makar and top draft pick Bowen Byram form the core
11:25 AM ET Emily Kaplan Greg Wyshynski Less than 15 months after hiring Paul Fenton as general manager, Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold changed his mind. Claiming it was not “the right fit,” Leipold fired Fenton, with assistant GM Tom Kurvers taking over on an interim basis until a permanent replacement can be found. About
10:06 AM ET The New Jersey Devils continued their busy offseason by reaching agreement on a deal with promising young defenseman Will Butcher. The two sides avoided arbitration with a three-year, $11.2 million contract, according to the team. The Devils have traded for All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban and former KHL star Nikita Gusev after drafting
10:57 AM ET Nothing triggers hockey gambling more than a nationwide heat wave. Caesars posted futures and propositions for the upcoming NHL season. Below are the top plays from ESPN Sports Betting Analyst Doug Kezirian and Senior NHL Writer Greg Wyshynski. Note: Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Kezirian: This team ended last season as poorly