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.

4:00 PM ET Here we go! It’s difficult to temper the excitement offered by a full-slate NHL campaign after what we went through last season and the pre-emptive halt to the season prior. COVID still lingers as a threat, but not nearly to the extent that it shadowed the 2020-21 (just 2021?) season. For the

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

6:00 PM ET Sure, it’s the period of experimentation, and no, the points don’t count, but this brief spell before it all starts to matter still remains meaningful for invested fantasy managers. In addition to getting a sense of who’s “in the best shape of their life”, we gain insight into where coaches are leaning

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

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

7:31 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman was suspended for one preseason game and one regular-season game without pay Thursday for boarding Winnipeg Jets forward Jansen Harkins. Coleman was assessed a minor penalty for boarding at 6:15 of the second period in the Flames’ 3-2 exhibition loss at Winnipeg

7:00 AM ET As the 2021-22 NHL season arrives, so does the pressure of expectations. Every player, coach and general manager feels the heat to some degree. But some feel its intensity like a neglected hamburger under a fast food restaurant lamp, sizzling and spoiling and preparing to be tossed away. Here are my “hot

9:18 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield, a highly touted rookie already being mentioned as a candidate for the Calder Trophy, suffered a left ankle fracture in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Arizona Coyotes and is out indefinitely. Byfield, 19, the No. 2 overall pick in the

3:50 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is being investigated after allegations that he used a fake COVID-19 vaccination card, a source told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Wednesday, confirming earlier reports. According to a source, the investigation centers on whether Kane submitted a fraudulent vaccination card,