9:10 AM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN If I were one of the executives hiring Ron Francis as the first general manager of the Seattle Whatevers — and I’m still all-in on the “Sasquatch” or “Kraken,” for the record — my first question would have been a simple one: “How much of that was your fault?” Under
NHL
9:53 PM ET Associated Press DETROIT — A police report says the death of former Nashville Predators captain Greg Johnson was an apparent suicide, according to the Detroit News. The paper said Wednesday it had obtained a Rochester Police report, and that Johnson was found by his wife shortly before 10 a.m. on July 7.
3:18 PM ET The Colorado Avalanche have signed restricted free agent J.T. Compher to a four-year contract. According to The Athletic, the deal carries an annual average value of $3.5 million. “J.T. has been one of our most versatile forwards over the past two years,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said in a statement. “He
10:59 PM ET Seattle’s new NHL franchise has its first general manager. Hall of Famer Ron Francis will be named the expansion team’s GM, a source told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, confirming a Seattle Times report. Francis will receive a multiyear contract from the team, which is expected to make the hire official later this week,
2:21 PM ET ESPN News Services Seattle’s new NHL franchise has its first general manager. Hall of Famer Ron Francis was named the expansion team’s GM Thursday. “After seven months of due diligence, research, conversations, interviews and evaluation, we are thrilled to announce Ron as our GM,” NHL Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke said in a
7:29 PM ET Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have re-signed three restricted free agents: forwards Ryan Donato and Nico Sturm and defenseman Carson Soucy. Donato, a natural center who mostly played left wing after arriving from Boston, received a two-year, $3.8 million contract. He had four goals and 12 assists with
5:52 PM ET The Anaheim Ducks have signed veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday. Financial terms weren’t announced. Del Zotto spent part of the 2018-19 season with Anaheim before being traded to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blues. The 29-year-old is in a much different place than when
4:49 PM ET Associated Press ARLINGTON, Va. — The Capitals have re-signed winger Jakub Vrana to a $6.7 million, two-year contract, the biggest item left on Washington’s offseason checklist. The 23-year-old restricted free agent set career highs with 24 goals, 23 assists and 47 points last season. He has 80 points in 176 NHL regular-season
3:34 PM ET The Ottawa Senators acquired center Artem Anisimov from the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday for left wing Zack Smith. Anisimov, 31, appeared in 78 games, finishing with 15 goals and 22 assists, last season, his fourth with the Blackhawks. He has scored at least 20 goals four times in his career, including his
1:22 PM ET The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Andre Burakovsky to a one-year contract. TSN reports that the deal is for $3.25 million. The restricted free agent was acquired from the Washington Capitals June 28 for forward Scott Kosmachuk, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft and a third-round selection in the 2020 draft..