NHL

8:15 AM ET The New York Islanders are going to win the 2022 Stanley Cup. “Please God, no,” wrote reader “Hockey Island,” whose Twitter profile includes an image of the team’s previous four championship banners from the 1980s. People like Mr. Island understand that my predicting the Stanley Cup winner is usually the kiss of

7:00 AM ET WHEN ELVIS MERZLIKINS HEARD the Columbus Blue Jackets had another Latvian goalie in the organization, he was excited — but also confused. “My first question was: Who the hell is this guy?” Merzlikins says. “I had never heard about him, never knew about his existence.” That goalie was Matiss Kivlenieks, who came

10:20 PM ET WASHINGTON, D.C. — Alex Ovechkin went from being a game-time decision to making more NHL history on Wednesday night. The Washington Capitals star scored twice in the team’s 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers, giving him 732 career goals in 1,198 games. Those goals moved him past Hockey Hall of Famer

3:53 PM ET Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Predators have signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a four-year, $25 million extension keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season. The Predators announced the contract Wednesday at a news conference. General manager David Poile called Ekholm a foundational piece for the Predators and that they couldn’t

8:03 AM ET The New Jersey Devils will have helmet advertising from Black-owned businesses for 13 games this season through an arrangement with Prudential, marking the first time an NHL helmet sponsor has donated that space. The move is part of the Devils’ “Buy Black” program, an initiative announced earlier this year that promotes and

8:26 PM ET ESPN News Services TAMPA, Fla. — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has only four unvaccinated players as it opens up the 2021-22 season. Bettman was in attendance for the regular-season opener between the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. “Everybody banding together

7:00 AM ET ESPN.com staff The NHL returns to the ice on Tuesday night, and for the first time since the 2003-04 season it’s back on ESPN! At 7:30 p.m. ET, we’ll watch the Tampa Bay Lightning raise another Stanley Cup banner before taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then at 10:15 p.m., the Vegas Golden

7:00 AM ET NHL Insiders The 2021-22 NHL season is set to begin on Tuesday night with a doubleheader on ESPN and ESPN+, but we’re looking beyond just those two matchups. Will the Lightning pull off the three-peat? How well will the Kraken do in their first season? And who will take home all of

10:35 PM ET Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will not play in Tuesday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he told Steve Levy in an interview that aired on Monday Night Football. Crosby, 34, made the trip to Tampa Bay and has begun practicing with the team, but he is still recovering from surgery

4:34 PM ET Associated Press SEATTLE — The Kraken are expected to be without five players for the season opener at Vegas due to COVID-19 protocols — awful timing on the eve of the first game in franchise history. Forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Johansson, and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak were placed on the

7:00 AM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning ended an unprecedented NHL season full of modifications and adjustments forced by the COVID-19 pandemic in July by hoisting the Stanley Cup for the second straight year. They’ll go for the three-peat in a 2021-22 campaign that sees the league revert to its normal alignment but features big

12:56 PM ET Associated Press The New York Rangers and top center Mika Zibanejad have agreed to an eight-year contract worth $68 million. Zibanejad, 28, will count $8.5 million against the salary cap beginning next season and through 2029-30. He was a point-per-game player last season with 24 goals and 26 assists in 50 games.

1:17 PM ET Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby practiced Saturday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his left wrist in early September. The two-time Hart Trophy winner, who had been dealing with the wrist injury for years, opted for surgery after all minimally invasive options had been exhausted. At the time of the

8:42 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin left the Washington Capitals‘ preseason finale against Philadelphia on Friday night with what the team called a lower-body injury and is set to be examined further Saturday. Ovechkin bumped into Flyers forward Travis Konecny midway through the first period and then went down to the ice.

8:43 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — Ontario’s major indoor professional sports teams have been given the green light to host capacity crowds. The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors will be able to play in front of full arenas when their seasons start this month, Ontario Sports Minister

10:52 AM ET The Florida Panthers have secured their franchise center with a blockbuster contract. Aleksander Barkov has agreed to an eight-year, $80 million contract with the Panthers, a source told ESPN on Friday. The majority of the contract consists of signing-bonus money. It’s the largest contract in total dollars ever handed out by the

7:00 AM ET The 2021-22 NHL season is being called a return to normalcy. Last season was an unprecedented one for the NHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Four geographically realigned divisions, including one solely comprising Canadian teams; teams playing only opponents within those divisions; and a new playoff format that eschewed wild-card teams. But

8:50 PM ET Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils‘ preseason game against the New York Islanders was canceled Thursday night due to a power outage in part of Prudential Center. The lights in one area of the arena went out before the start of the game and could not be restored. After