7:00 AM ET The 2020-21 NHL season is finally almost here, with the puck set to drop in one week. So we look ahead to the 56-game slate and projecting who will be among the 100 top players. We asked a panel of 11 ESPN NHL experts to grade players based on how good they

10:45 AM ET ESPN News Services The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand to a five-year, $27 million extension, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Wednesday. The deal links Bjorkstrand to the Blue Jackets through the 2025-26 season. He had one season remaining on his current contract. “When they started talking to me,

12:09 AM ET The United States upset heavily favored and undefeated Canada 2-0 in Edmonton to win the gold medal in the first ever World Junior Championship played in a bubble. In a defensive special, Boston College goaltender and Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight stopped all 34 shots he faced to secure USA’s first gold

6:33 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — Colin Wilson, who played 11 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators as part of a three-generation NHL family, announced his retirement Tuesday. The 31-year-old forward played nine games for Colorado last season before having double hip surgery. Wilson scored 113 goals and had 173 assists in

2:18 PM ET Associated Press SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken made two more additions to their front office Tuesday, bringing in former Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill as an assistant GM and Norm Maciver as director of player personnel. Botterill joins the Kraken after serving as the general manager of the Sabres for three seasons.

3:03 AM ET Associated Press EDMONTON, Alberta — John Muckler, who coached four NHL teams and won five Stanley Cup championships with the Edmonton Oilers, has died. He was 86. The Oilers confirmed Muckler’s death Monday night. No cause was given. Muckler was part of the staff that put together the Oilers dynasty of the

8:39 PM ET Associated Press Jared Spurgeon‘s bosses had some news deemed important enough to deliver in person, so general manager Bill Guerin and coach Dean Evason dropped by the Minnesota Wild defenseman’s house on the eve of training camp for a visit with the family of six. Spurgeon’s 6-year-old daughter, Colbie, was skeptical. “She

10:00 AM ET To bounce back a player has to fall off. So any discussion around players that may or may not return to form in the 2020-21 (should we just call it 2021?) season has to begin with identifying who fell off in 2019-20. The new default scoring system for ESPN.com makes comparing statistics

5:47 PM ET The Chicago Blackhawks and center Dylan Strome have agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract extension, the team announced Sunday. Strome, 23, had 12 goals and 26 assists for the Blackhawks last season, a drop from career highs of 20 goals and 37 assists in 2018-19, when he was traded from the

5:26 PM ET Associated Press VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Canucks received provincial approval Sunday to play in British Columbia this season. British Columbia Premier John Horgan announced the decision on Twitter, saying he had spoken to team owner Francesco Aquilini about the NHL’s return-to-play plans and believes the enhanced health measures mean games can