7:00 AM ET The 2021 NHL season is here! After awarding the Stanley Cup in September following a most unusual 2019-20 season, we’re back on the ice again. Four new divisions, 56-game schedules and, most importantly, 116 consecutive nights of NHL games, beginning Wednesday. For our first week of power rankings, we offer a reason

7:00 AM ET NHL Insiders The puck drops on the 2020-21 NHL season this week, a season that will be unique in a great many ways: new divisions, a new playoff format, ads on helmets and much more. But we’re looking way ahead, answering the big questions: Who will win the Stanley Cup? Who are

10:38 AM ET The Boston Bruins will retire Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 and raise it into the rafters this season, honoring him for being the league’s first Black player. The Bruins will celebrate O’Ree in a ceremony on Feb. 18, before a game against the New Jersey Devils. O’Ree, who debuted for the Bruins 63

4:10 PM ET Hours after announcing plans to have 6,000 fans at home games, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk reversed course on Tuesday as Ontario declared a second provincial emergency due to COVID-19. “I’ve submitted a robust public safety plan that will allow 6,000 fans in the Canadian Tire Centre that includes health protocols ranging

10:20 PM ET ESPN News Services The Dallas Stars will resume practicing on Tuesday, four days after six players and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Dallas had its first three games — at Florida on Thursday and Friday, and at Tampa Bay on Sunday — postponed. The defending Western Conference champions are now

6:05 PM ET NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league and its clubs will lose billions of dollars to stage an abridged 2021 season largely without fans, but he felt it was critical to play through the pandemic anyway. “Let me make something really clear: We’re coming back to play this season because we think

11:09 AM ET Analyst Mike Milbury is out at NBC after 14 years with the network. The news came on Monday as NBC unveiled its game and studio commentary lineup for the 2021 NHL season, and Milbury was conspicuously absent. “We are grateful to Mike for all of his contributions to our coverage for 14

7:00 AM ET Vegas Golden Knights fans have had it pretty good since the team debuted in 2017-18. Season one: Stanley Cup Finals. Season two: An epic rivalry series against the San Jose Sharks. Season three: A trip to the Western Conference finals. One thing missing there is a Stanley Cup title, and owner Bill

7:08 PM ET ESPN News Services NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have re-signed restricted free-agent forward Jesper Bratt to a two-year, $5.5 million contract. Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced the deal on Sunday, four days before the season opener at home against the Boston Bruins. The 22-year-old Bratt will make just over

7:46 PM ET Associated Press DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings claimed defenseman Christian Djoos off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. The Red Wings announced the move. The 26-year-old Djoos played 11 games for Anaheim and Washington last season, finishing with a goal and two assists. He has five goals and 22 assists