NHL

7:17 AM ET ESPN staff Due to the altered schedule whereby the 2019-20 NHL season was completed quite a bit later than usual — with the Stanley Cup Playoffs lasting until Sept. 29 — free agency will begin on Oct. 9 this year, as opposed to the traditional July 1 starting point. But while the

10:23 AM ET If I were an NHL general manager, I’d be the loneliest man alive. My colleagues would ostracize me. I would be swiftly deleted from holiday card lists. I’d have to sit near Seattle and Vegas in the annual meetings. This is because, when it comes to free agents, I would not adhere

7:00 AM ET The word that typically defines free agency in the NHL is “uncertainty.” Players with expiring contracts enter a marketplace unsure of what their next deals will look like or where they’ll next call home. But in the 2020 free-agent frenzy, that uncertainty has reached previously unseen levels for players and teams. There’s

10:00 PM ET The 2020 NHL draft has finally come to a close. It was a long road to this year’s virtual draft, but all 31 teams walk away with an injection of young talent for their respective pipelines and begin to look ahead to this week’s looming free agency. Surprises hit as early as

7:53 PM ET The 2020 NHL draft is in the books, with 217 selections made over the course of two socially distanced, Zoom-filled days. There were also 27 trades made, although the vast majority were simple pick swaps, as most of the players rumored to be on the trading block remained with their current teams.

3:42 PM ET Associated Press Eighteen members of a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team have tested positive for the coronavirus and have been placed in isolation for 14 days, the team and league reported Wednesday. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have suspended operations indefinitely because of the outbreak. The QMJHL started its regular season last Friday,

6:00 PM ET ESPN staff Follow the entire 2020 NHL draft through all seven rounds. We have all 217 picks as they happen, starting with Tuesday night’s first selection overall by the New York Rangers and ending with Wednesday afternoon’s final pick of the draft. Additionally, Chris Peters, Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan provide detailed

11:30 PM ET The first round of the all-virtual 2020 NHL draft had a little bit of everything. It started out as expected with Alexis Lafreniere being selected No. 1 overall by the New York Rangers. Then the Los Angeles Kings made Quinton Byfield the highest-drafted Black player in NHL draft history. The rest of

12:47 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — NHL teams continue to clear salary cap space with free agency starting later this week. The Detroit Red Wings placed forward Justin Abdelkader on unconditional waivers Tuesday for the purpose of buying out his contract. The Montreal Canadiens did the same with defenseman Karl Alzner, who had

10:39 PM ET Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid has tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced on Monday night. McDavid’s positive test came during medical testing earlier on Monday. “Since that time, he has been in voluntary self-quarantine at his home. He will continue to be monitored and will follow all associated health protocols,” the

7:15 AM ET You’ve been hearing about the 2020 NHL draft class for more than a year. But now teams will finally get to make their first-round picks on Tuesday night. And that means one final mock draft projecting all 31 selections of Round 1. The class features an excellent No. 1 prospect and a

7:15 AM ET ESPN staff Believe it or not, the 2020 NHL draft is finally here. After being delayed and rescheduled from June, all 217 picks over seven rounds will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, starting with the New York Rangers atop the board. Whether you are a draft enthusiast who has followed this

2:04 PM ET Faced with another salary cap crunch, the Chicago Blackhawks have traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Los Angeles Kings for a prospect. Chicago needs to make deals for forwards Dominik Kubalik, who finished third in Calder Trophy voting, and Dylan Strome, and they do not have a frontline goalie under contract. Two-time

5:42 PM ET Associated Press PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins are putting their faith and their money in goalie Tristan Jarry. The Penguins awarded the first-time All-Star a three-year contract Saturday. The deal, which carries an average annual value of $3.5 million, likely means Pittsburgh is ready to move on from two-time Stanley Cup-winning netminder

12:52 PM ET Associated Press Lennox Lehner is almost 6 years old and already has five hockey jerseys because his father has bounced around the NHL so much. He won’t have to add another to his collection, and Robin Lehner will get to keep putting on Vegas Golden Knights jerseys. “It couldn’t be a better

11:00 AM ET The first thing one notices about Bill Armstrong is the ring. The one with 282 diamonds and 51 sapphires, for a total weight of 10.6 carats. The one with the St. Louis Blues logo resting on the Stanley Cup, with each round of their 2019 championship journey etched inside the band. The

5:41 PM ET The Los Angeles Kings have terminated the contract of Tim Smith, who portrays their mascot, Bailey the lion, following a sexual harassment lawsuit filed during the summer by a former member of the Kings Ice Crew. “We are not in a position to provide further details or comments on this matter due

4:30 PM ET Associated Press OTTAWA, Ontario — The Ottawa Senators acquired defenseman Josh Brown from the Florida Panthers on Friday for a fourth-round pick (95th overall) in Tuesday’s NHL draft. The 26-year-old Brown had three goals, five assists and 39 penalty minutes in a career-high 56 games with the Panthers last season. He was