CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a one-year contract with Jack Johnson after the veteran defenseman helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup last season.
The rebuilding Blackhawks announced the deal on Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers have named defenseman Jacob Trouba captain.
Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury announced the selection in a news release Tuesday morning, and the team held a news conference with Drury, Trouba and coach Gerard Gallant at the team's practice facility in Greenburgh, New York, in the afternoon.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with forward Kaapo Kakko on a two-year contract worth $4.2 million.
The deal with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft carries an annual salary cap hit of $2.1 million.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks have hired former New York Rangers coach David Quinn as their new head coach.
The Sharks announced Tuesday that Quinn would replace the fired Bob Boughner as the Sharks overhaul their management and coaching team.
Several hours into NHL free agency, the Washington Capitals had two new goaltenders and a replacement for the defenseman they lost to Seattle.
Alexander Georgiev signed a three-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, completing the final step toward making him the defending Stanley Cup champions ' starting goaltender in their title defense.
MONTREAL (AP) — Joe Sakic didn’t want to make the call to Darcy Kuemper telling him the Colorado Avalanche were not bringing back their goaltender who was in net when they won the Stanley Cup.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers have given forward Julien Gauthier a one-year contract extension.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury announced the move on Tuesday.
Gauthier had three goals and four assists in 49 games this past season, with the goals and assists being career highs.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Toronto’s Auston Matthews won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player on Tuesday night, becoming only the third Maple Leaf to win the award and the first since Ted Kennedy in 1954-55.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have hired John Tortorella as their new coach, hoping the fiery veteran can help lead them to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1975.
The hire was confirmed Thursday by a person with direct knowledge of the decision who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anoymity because it had not been announced.
Two days after being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final, the New York Rangers still haven’t gotten over their loss.
“You go on a great run like that, so many people reach out to tell you how proud they are of you, of your group, but right now it stings,” forward Chris Kreider said Monday.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos, at 32 and wrapping up his 14th season, is no longer one of the NHL’s most prolific scorers or even the second- or third-best player on his own team.
The six-time All-Star and two-time “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner as the league’s leading goal scorer is the undisputed leader of the Tampa Bay Lightning, though, and one of the reasons the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are four wins away from the first three-peat in 40 years.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning's bid for a three-peat is alive and well.
With captain Steven Stamkos leading the way, the two-time defending champions beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Saturday night, securing a berth in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning know what type of effort it will take to finish off the New York Rangers.
The two-time defending champions are one win away from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, where they would continue their bid to become the first team in 40 years to win three consecutive NHL titles.
NEW YORK (AP) — After falling behind midway through the game, the Tampa Bay Lightning showed the poise of a two-time defending champion. They rallied for another late victory to move a win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final.
The New York Rangers have been in a similar position before in this postseason — looking to reverse the momentum back home after dropping two games on the road.
In the first round against Pittsburgh, they returned home after falling into a 3-1 series hole and won three straight to advance.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning delivered on a promise to play with a greater sense of urgency, storming back in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers and keeping their bid for a third straight Stanley Cup title alive.
With Nazem Kadri out with an injury, Colorado's Mikko Rantanen shifted to center to take his spot and was on the receiving end of a few chops on the back of his leg from Edmonton's Duncan Keith that sent him to the ice.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen is sending a team to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season.
Lehkonen scored 1:19 into overtime, and Colorado rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 Monday night, completing a four-game sweep in the Western Conference final and propelling the Avalanche into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Just when it appeared the New York Rangers might be ready to push Tampa Bay to the brink of elimination, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning showed they were nowhere near finished.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — There’s no panic in the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are down 2-0 to the New York Rangers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal but remain confident they have what it takes to climb back into the best-of-seven series.
NEW YORK (AP) — After winning the series opener with an offensive display, the New York Rangers used a strong defensive effort to take Game 2. Now they are two victories away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in eight years.
NEW YORK (AP) — Darryl Sutter of the Calgary Flames has won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year.
The league announced the honor Thursday night prior to Game 2 of the Western Conference final between the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers.
The New York Rangers’ third line has been making valuable contributions all season, and the trio’s success in Game 1 against Tampa Bay is a big reason the team finally has a lead during a postseason series.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes rookie Seth Jarvis took a beating in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including a jarring hit that left him with an apparent concussion and spotty memories in the aftermath.
NEW YORK (AP) — Filip Chytil has found his scoring touch and it's helping the New York Rangers get on quite a roll.
Chytil scored twice in the second period and the Rangers routed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Andrei Vasilevskiy has won a Vezina Trophy and two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Igor Shesterkin is a finalist for the Vezina this year as he leads the New York Rangers in their pursuit of their first championship since 1994 and second in 82 years.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes are facing the challenging stretch of building a perennial Stanley Cup contender.
A second-round exit to the New York Rangers highlighted the need for more postseason goal scoring and better special-teams play.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nothing is fazing these New York Rangers, not multigame series deficit nor playing in a building where no road team has won in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Instead, this resilient bunch is carrying an ever-growing confidence straight into the Eastern Conference finals, thanks to another Game 7 win and the latest strong performance from possibly the game's best goaltender.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes found themselves in a quick hole in a Game 7 against the New York Rangers. Losing key players like Seth Jarvis and goaltender Antti Raanta only made things tougher for any chance of a comeback.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — More than a week off between playoff games can seem like an eternity for any team.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping the extended break they earned with a second-round sweep of the Florida Panthers will benefit them in their quest for a three-peat.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have the home-ice advantage with the flawless record when playing in front of their rowdy home crowd. The New York Rangers have the resilience proven with a perfect mark in elimination games.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers got off to a strong start and didn't need a comeback to win another elimination game.
One more like this — but on the road — and they'll be heading to the Eastern Conference finals.
The New York Rangers return home knowing they need a win at home to keep their postseason going. The Carolina Hurricanes are still looking for their first road victory in these playoffs.
After Carolina won 3-1 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead, the Rangers will be looking to force a deciding game in the second-round series when they host the Hurricanes in Game 6 on Saturday night (8 p.m.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes controlled long stretches of play, stayed aggressive and even got a breakthrough in a two-month struggle on the power play.
It was enough to secure another home playoff victory.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been perfect at home in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They've had to be.
The Hurricanes are back in Raleigh for Thursday night’s Game 5 against the New York Rangers, looking once again to climb into the lead of a playoff series with the support of a rowdy home crowd.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers got the kind of strong, all-around effort from the start they needed and stormed past the Carolina Hurricanes.
Andrew Copp had a goal and two assists, and Frank Vatrano and Adam Fox each had a goal and an assist as the Rangers beat the Hurricanes 4-1 in Game 4 Tuesday night, evening the second-round series.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jon Cooper had every reason to be confident the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning could keep their bid for a three-peat alive.
“Our story is not finished being written,” the coach said earlier this month with his team on the brink of elimination in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant was displeased with the skirmish at the end of his team's Game 3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
One day later, he was ready to put it behind them.
“Last night in the heat of the moment, you're (upset),” Gallant said Monday.
NEW YORK (AP) — After two tough losses on the road put them in another series deficit, the New York Rangers again bounced back with a big home win.
Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist, Igor Shesterkin stopped 43 shots, and the Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 Sunday in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.
The Tampa Bay Lightning don’t want to get ahead of themselves in their bid to become the first team in 40 years to win three consecutive Stanley Cup titles.
The two-time defending champions are up 2-0 on the Presidents Trophy-winning Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference semifinals yet understand there’s still a lot of work to do as they pursue a special place in NHL history.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Brendan Smith had gone nine years since last finding the back of the net in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
And Antti Raanta, well, he never had a postseason game like this.
The Carolina Hurricanes keep finding different ways to win in the playoffs.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes are getting the offensive production they need so far from their blue liners in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Hurricanes outlasted the Boston Bruins in a seven-game series with defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Tony DeAngelo leading the team in points.
NEW YORK (AP) — Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter is among the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the NHL's coach of the year.
Andrew Brunette of the Florida Panthers and Gerard Gallant of the New York Rangers are the other two finalists.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho extended the game. Ian Cole ended it. And that allowed the Carolina Hurricanes to escape their first home loss of the playoffs despite being completely outplayed most of the night.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin wants to stay in Pittsburgh. So does Kris Letang. There's comfort in the only NHL city they've ever called home. Success too.
It's why neither three-time Stanley Cup champion has ever hit the open market during their long careers.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — For the better part of two decades, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have served as the foundation upon which the Pittsburgh Penguins built three Stanley Cup champions.
No one wanted to go home in the NHL playoffs' Game 7 matchups Sunday night.
The first-round elimination games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers and Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames went to overtime, marking just the second time in league history multiple Game 7s needed extra time on the same day.