Not usually one to shy away from the limelight, Auston Matthews is more than happy to sit this one out. Unlike teammate Mitch Marner and a host of other still-unsigned restricted free agents, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ star snagged his big-money contract extension in February. While a number of young players sit and wait as
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Joe Thornton is coming back for another season at age 40, signing a one-year, $2 million US contract with the San Jose Sharks on Friday after briefly contemplating retirement at the end of last season. Thornton decided in the off-season that he wasn’t ready to hang it up after 21 seasons in the NHL, saying
SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Joe Thornton is coming back for another season at age 40, signing a one-year, $2 million (U.S.) contract with the San Jose Sharks on Friday after briefly contemplating retirement at the end of last season. Thornton decided in the off-season that he wasn’t ready to hang it up after 21 seasons in the
Bo Horvat is ready and willing to be the next captain of the Vancouver Canucks. He’s just waiting for the tap on the shoulder. The team left the role vacant last season following the retirement of Henrik Sedin and his twin brother Daniel, but Horvat said Thursday he’d be willing to take on the hefty
CHICAGO—Torey Krug says there have been no talks with the Boston Bruins on a new contract with one season left to unrestricted free agency. Despite a breakout playoff performance that helped the Bruins get to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, Krug is stuck in neutral while the front office focuses on signing restricted
GLENDALE, ARIZ.—Clayton Keller has lived up to lofty expectations, becoming one of Arizona’s best players by his second full NHL season. The Coyotes rewarded the skilled forward with an eight-year contract extension with an average annual salary of $7.15 million. Slated to become a restricted free agent next year, Keller will now remain in the
To prepare you for the opening of NHL training camps in mid-September, CBC Sports will do a deep dive on one of the seven Canadian-based clubs every Thursday. The Toronto Maple Leafs are examined in the seventh and final installment. Click here to read about the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and
NHL players have yet to decide whether to terminate the current collective bargaining agreement with less than two weeks before the deadline to do so. Roughly 50 players met Wednesday night in Chicago to get an update on talks with the league, which executive director Don Fehr called “a long discussion, good discussion” about the
CHICAGO—The hockey world, with its outstanding issues of unsigned young stars and the spectre of collective bargaining talks, holds its unofficial opening over the next few days in the Windy City. It’s the site of the NHL-NHLPA Media Tour, where some of the game’s biggest names allow themselves to be poked and prodded by all
VANCOUVER—The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed right winger Nikolay Goldobin to a one-year contract. The team announced the deal on Wednesday, saying the restricted free agent had agreed to a one-way deal worth $900,000 (U.S.) . Goldobin put up seven goals and 20 assists in 63 games for the Canucks last season, his third in Vancouver.
Former NHL star Dale Hawerchuk is taking a leave of absence as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts for the upcoming season. The Colts announced Tuesday that Hawerchuk is making the move for health reasons. The team did not specify the nature of Hawerchuk’s issues. “We are a tight and close family
Brett Connolly says he owes the Stanley Cup ring on his finger to Devante Smith-Pelly. Some 15 months after that magical playoff run, Connolly simply hopes his former teammate gets another chance. Smith-Pelly scored in Games 3, 4 and 5 of the 2018 final to help the Washington Capitals secure their first championship, only to
Brett Connolly says he owes the Stanley Cup ring on his finger to Devante Smith-Pelly. Some 15 months after that magical playoff run, Connolly simply hopes his former teammate gets another chance. Smith-Pelly scored in Games 3, 4 and 5 of the 2018 final to help the Washington Capitals secure their first championship, only to
RALEIGH, N.C.—Former Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams says he is taking a break from the NHL to start this season. With the start of training camp looming later this month, the 37-year-old forward said Monday that he will “step away” from the sport. “This is the first time in my life that I’ve felt unsure
Justin Williams, who has become known as “Mr. Game 7” in recent years, may have played his last NHL game. The 37-year-old left-winger from Cobourg, Ont., is “stepping away” from the league after winning three Stanley Cups and playing 1,244 regular-season games over 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington and Carolina. “This is the
The biggest names in Canadian women’s hockey will play in a series of games organized by their union in an effort to push their game forward. The Dream Gap Tour announced Wednesday by the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) opens in Toronto with a four-game tournament Sept. 20-22 at a community venue yet to
Jordan Binnington used to fly under the radar as he methodically went about his summer training. After a head-turning, seemingly-out-of-nowhere rookie campaign capped by a Stanley Cup victory, those days are long gone. “You missed it,” the St. Louis Blues goalie quipped when it was pointed out earlier this week he’d never spoken with reporters
TORONTO—Wayne Simmonds hopes he gets booed. The rugged, heart-and-soul winger spent the better part of eight seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, battling for the crest on his jersey, sticking up for teammates and exemplifying what the franchise’s no-nonsense fans expect from their players. Now he wants those same people to give him the loud, sometimes