Blues sign twice-bought-out defenseman Ryan Suter to 1-year, $775,000 contract

Blues sign twice-bought-out defenseman Ryan Suter to 1-year, $775,000 contract

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The St. Louis Blues signed veteran defenseman Ryan Suter to a one-year, $775,000 contract, the team announced Wednesday night.The deal includes $2.225 million in potential performance bonuses. The terms were not immediately known.Suter, 39, was bought out by the Dallas Stars in late June. He ranked 62nd on The Athletic’s NHL big board heading into free agency opening on July 1 and was fourth among remaining unsigned players as of Wednesday.The left-shot defenseman scored two goals and 17 points in 82 games in 2023-24, averaging 18:56 per game for the Central Division-winning Stars. He added one goal and four points in 17:50 per game during the playoffs, playing 19 games as Dallas made its second straight Western Conference final run.Suter is the second player in league history to be bought out twice, after Tony DeAngelo. Suter was previously bought out by the Minnesota Wild in 2021, when he signed a four-year, $14.6 million deal with the Stars. This season, he will be paid by all three teams.Why did the Blues sign Suter?The Blues had interest in Suter when he signed in Dallas. Now available again, Suter was likely attractive to them because he can provide depth on the left side as they navigate through their retool.He joins a group on that side which includes Nick Leddy, Torey Krug, Scott Perunovich and Tyler Tucker. If the Blues find a trade partner for Krug, Suter can be counted on for limited minutes and to support Perunovich and Tucker.What does this mean for the salary cap?This is a low-risk addition because Suter comes in on a league-minimum salary. There are performance bonuses in the deal, and the terms aren’t yet known, but even if he maxes them out, he would cost only $3 million, and the club is currently well under the NHL’s cap with $7.3 million available, according to PuckPedia.Required reading(Photo: Chris Jones / USA Today)

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Is Leon Draisaitl the best NHL No. 2 ever? What could it mean for his next contract?

Is Leon Draisaitl the best NHL No. 2 ever? What could it mean for his next contract?

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Just one week after the Edmonton Oilers’ hopes of winning the Stanley Cup ended in Game 7, another door opened to start planning for the future.On July 1, along with signing unrestricted free agents for the 2024-25 season, Edmonton could start extending its 2025 free agents. That list of free agents starts with one of its most pivotal players: Leon Draisaitl.It’s one of the rare occasions where Draisaitl lands as the ‘No. 1′ on the Oilers’ list. The rest of the time, he sits firmly as their No. 2 to their generational star, Connor McDavid.Being No. 2 to McDavid isn’t a knock in any way at Draisaitl, it’s just the reality. Between the two forwards, the Oilers have one of the most dangerous one-two punches in the league. And if they continue to play at this elite rate, they should join the ranks as one of the most dynamic duos in league history — if.That if isn’t a question of whether the two can sustain high-caliber play for years to come; McDavid and Draisaitl, both together and on their separate lines, have proven they’re among the best players in the world. The two have thrived in all situations, no matter the stage, with and without support around them.The if instead revolves around how long this duo will stay together in Edmonton. With Draisaitl’s contract up in 2025 and McDavid’s in 2026, two massive question marks are looming over the Oilers.And with Draisaitl’s contract expiring first, the focus is primarily on his future.Draisaitl’s next contract will cover the rest of his prime years and projects to be the most lucrative of his career. Aside from figuring out the term and cost, there’s another overarching question: Does Draisaitl want to step out of McDavid’s shadow and become another team’s leading star?Some teams have already gotten to work on their 2025 free agents. Victor Hedman, Jaccob Slavin and Pavel Buchnevich are all off the board after extending a year early. That the Oilers haven’t extended Draisaitl yet isn’t a bad sign. The team has only been in offseason mode for a little over two weeks and has yet to name a new general manager to make these franchise-defining decisions.Once a permanent general manager is named, the work on Draisaitl’s future can begin.The Oilers may have to reconcile that Draisaitl’s current contract — an eight-year contract carrying an $8.5 million cap hit — is such an underpayment considering how much his value has risen over the years. But it’s easy to slide right into overpay territory on a contract that will essentially cover his 30s and past prime years. Age-related decline is inevitable — elite players’ later years can still be extremely productive, but those later years may not be worth, say, $14 million on the books.It’s a steep number, but one Draisaitl could realistically ask for to become the league’s highest-paid player (at least until McDavid’s next contract). Maybe Edmonton could knock that lower to the $13 million range, closer to Evolving Hockey’s $13.5 million projection for an eight-year contract. Getting under $14 million would help limit some of the risk, but would still be above his projected worth in the later years of the deal.Draisaitl and McDavid could add up to over $28 million in cap space between their next two contracts, which would be tricky to navigate. But management could feel that with enough cap growth and team-friendly depth contracts, it’s an investment worth making for their franchise cornerstones.Technically, management has until June 30, 2025 to extend Draisaitl. In a perfect world, the Oilers can find a solution sooner than later so this doesn’t loom over their next season. As The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported, Edmonton isn’t inclined to go into the season with that uncertainty. The hurdle in that is Draisaitl’s no-movement clause and 10-team no-trade list.Few elite players even make it to free agency. Teams usually extend their players early or trade them before having to deal with the risk of losing them for nothing. In the few instances where a franchise player walked, as Artemi Panarin and Johnny Gaudreau did in Columbus and Calgary, the former team was left in shambles. Maybe that wouldn’t happen in Edmonton — Draisaitl is again the No. 2 to McDavid, after all — but management may not want to find out, even if keeping Draisaitl for another year would give the team its best shot at the Stanley Cup next season.The team perspective is just one side of the equation, though. The player also has to want to stay.As The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Brown reported after the Oilers’ exit interviews, Draisaitl said he needed time to figure out what both he and the team want moving forward. And that could involve contemplating whether he wants the chance to be the driver of his team, instead of always being second to McDavid. It’s a question many No. 2 forwards likely face at some point in their career, considering how many teams would jump at the chance to have them as their leading star no matter the cost.Jaromir Jagr got that opportunity when the Washington Capitals traded for him after spending years as the No. 2 in Pittsburgh to Mario Lemieux. Adam Oates left St. Louis after thriving with Brett Hull for a few years, too. But those are the exception, not the rule.Most No. 2s stick with their No. 1, especially in recent years. Look at Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom in Washington, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in Chicago, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand in Boston, and Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in Detroit. Even now, Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are both locked up for years to come in Florida.By the time Kane left Chicago, he was far past his prime years. It’s similar to Steven Stamkos departing the Tampa Bay Lightning at 34 years old, after years of forming a one-two punch with Nikita Kucherov. Corey Perry also left Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks for Dallas when he was 34. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau were both past their prime when they broke up with the San Jose Sharks.Look further back through NHL history at how other one-two punches broke up: It often wasn’t the No. 2 who left first.  Peter Forsberg left Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche for Philadelphia (and eventually returned to Colorado years later). Mike Bossy retired before Bryan Trottier ultimately left the New York Islanders. Wayne Gretzky was traded out of Edmonton before Mark Messier left for New York.Even though Messier became the de-facto leader in Edmonton and won a Cup without Gretzky, he eventually stepped out of that shadow to lead New York on his own.  At the simplest level, without the context of each scenario, history works in the Oilers’ favor. But just because most No. 2 forwards don’t leave their teams to become the star elsewhere, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen with Draisaitl. The fact his contract is up a year earlier than McDavid’s could decide the situation, as could management’s pressure to move him before the season starts. But if Draisaitl does bet on himself to become a driver of a new team, it could make waves. He isn’t the only No. 2 up for a new contract in the coming years — Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner are up in 2025.Draisaitl controls his future and, like other No. 2s who were part of dynamic duos, faces a career-defining decision. Is it more important for him to shine elsewhere and make a name for himself without McDavid? Or can stronger championship hopes behind McDavid bring the same level of career success for him?Data via Evolving Hockey, CapFriendly and Dom Luszczyszyn(Photo: Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)

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BS Meter on the Latest NHL Trade and Free Agency Rumors

BS Meter on the Latest NHL Trade and Free Agency Rumors

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The NHL free-agent market has been picked almost clean of notable talent since the flurry of signings when the market opened on July 1. While signings continue, they are largely depth players or promising prospects chosen in the 2024 NHL draft.
Fourteen players filed for salary arbitration by the July 5 deadline, with hearings scheduled for July 20 to Aug. 4. As is usually the case, they could all be settled before their cases go before an arbitrator.
With the draft and the start of free agency now history, the offseason business of hockey is slowing down. That also meant a slowdown in activity in the rumor mill, as most of the notable players on our June Trade Block Big Board and Free Agent Big Board have moved on to other clubs or re-signed with their current ones.
Nevertheless, the rumor mill is still churning some interesting conjecture on such noteworthy stars as Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers. Follow along as we employ our trust BS Meter to separate fact from fiction and express your thoughts in our app comments below.

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Montréal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has had a good offseason thus far. His club landed promising forwards Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage in the first round of the 2024 NHL draft and signed rising star Juraj Slafkovský to an eight-year, $60.8 million contract extension on July 1.
However, Hughes still must address the Canadiens’ need for more scoring. The Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan cited former Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault saying he had good talks with the Habs GM during the opening day of free agency. Nevertheless, Marchessault signed with the Nashville Predators.
On July 4, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels noted the free-agent market was thinning out for scoring forwards. He speculated Hughes could go the trade route this summer for immediate help or a player who can help the Canadiens now and in the future. Engels pointed out the Canadiens have plenty of draft picks and promising young defensemen to use as trade bait.
Cowan shares Engel’s opinion. On July 6, he expressed his belief that Hughes would pursue a trade for a top-six forward before the start of the regular season. He could acquire a young scorer or a forward with the potential to become a scorer, or a veteran with two or three years left on his contract.

BS Meter: Not BS
Hughes has a history of making noteworthy moves later in the offseason. He acquired Sean Monahan from the Calgary Flames in August 2022 and took part in the three-team deal that shipped Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks to the Pittsburgh Penguins last August.

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The Edmonton Oilers wasted little time making moves during this offseason to prepare for another run at the Stanley Cup in 2025. When free agency opened on July 1, acting general manager Jeff Jackson signed forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner and re-signed the checking line of Connor Brown, Adam Henrique, and Mattias Janmark.
Those moves put the Oilers over the $88 million salary cap by $2.5 million. On July 2, The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman suggested the Oilers had to make a cost-cutting trade. He suggested Evander Kane, Cody Ceci, Brett Kulak, or Ryan McLeod could become trade candidates.
The Oilers shipped McLeod to the Buffalo Sabres along with minor-leaguer Tyler Tullio for prospect center Matt Savoie on July 5. However, Nugent-Bowman’s colleague Allan Mitchell pointed out they’ll need to free up $3 million to accommodate signing restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.
Mitchell speculates Kane could end up on long-term injury reserve to start the season to recover from a suspected hip injury. Otherwise, the Oilers will have to make another trade to free up cap room or send three low-cost depth players to the minors and start the season with a 20-man roster.

BS Meter: Not BS
Mitchell considers it unlikely Kane will be eligible for LTIR. Trading him is a long shot because he carries a $5.1 million average annual value through 2025-26 and a full no-movement clause. That could mean peddling Ceci ($3.3 million AAV) or Kulak ($2.8 million) instead.

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Questions arose over Tristan Jarry’s
future with the Pittsburgh Penguins soon after the club signed backup
Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract extension on June 20. It
began with Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review suggesting
the Penguins had to trade Jarry or face a potential logjam between
the pipes.
Madden believes signing Nedeljkovic
blocks the way for promising Joel Blomqvist to crack the Penguins’
lineup unless they intend to trade Jarry. He acknowledged moving the
29-year-old goalie won’t be easy because of his $5.4 million average
annual value through 2027-28. Jarry also has a 12-team no-trade list.
Nevertheless, other pundits also
pondered Jarry’s future with the Penguins. On June 25, Sportsnet’s
Elliotte Friedman wondered if he could be in play in the trade
market.
The Athletic’s Rob Rossi followed up
two days later reporting the Penguins informed teams that Jarry was
available. However, he also indicated the club was prepared to go
into 2024-25 with Jarry and Nedeljkovic as their tandem.

BS Meter: It’s BS
Jarry’s
inconsistent play last season is the main factor behind the trade
conjecture. That performance combined with his contract makes him difficult to move. Jarry and Nedeljkovic will start
the season as their goalie tandem while Blomqvist gets more seasoning
with their AHL affiliate.

Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images
Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has been a frequent fixture in the offseason rumor mill. The 28-year-old Dane garnered the No. 2 spot on our July NHL Trade Block rankings. He carries a $6 million cap hit for 2024-25 and a 10-team no-trade list.
On July 6, The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner cited sources claiming the Carolina Hurricanes were “pushing heavily” for Ehlers. He also didn’t rule out the possibility of the New York Islanders getting into the bidding for the Jets winger.
Rosner suggested it made sense for the Hurricanes to pursue Ehlers. They were forced to trade winger Jake Guentzel to the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 30 or risk his departure as an unrestricted free agent.
The Hurricanes also have to deal with restricted free agent Martin Nečas, whom they might be reluctant to move after losing Guentzel. Nevertheless, Rosner believes they could win a bidding war for Ehlers by offering up Nečas, though he thinks the Jets would have to include something with Ehlers in that deal because Nečas is more valuable.

BS Meter: Not BS
The Hurricanes could attempt to bolster their forward lines after losing Guentzel, Teuvo Teräväinen and Stefen Noesen in free agency. Acquiring Ehlers could help, but he’d be a tight fit within their cap. They’ve got $11.7 million available but must re-sign Nečas, Seth Jarvis and Jack Drury. Jarvis alone could eat up over half of their cap room.

Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sidney Crosby has been the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins since they chose him first overall in the 2005 NHL draft. With one season remaining in his 12-year contract (a relic from the days before the imposition of term limits on player contracts), the 36-year-old center was eligible to July 1 to sign a contract extension with the Penguins.
Some observers raised their eyebrows when July 1 passed with no announcement from the Penguins or Crosby of a new deal. Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski wondered if the club’s on-ice struggles over the past two years and its current direction might make the Penguins captain reluctant to re-sign.
Penguins followers had to be mollified on July 8 when The Athletic’s Rob Rossi reported Crosby was getting close to signing an extension. While providing no details, Rossi cited sources claiming that both sides were confident that a deal would agreed upon and finalized soon.
Crosby’s current average annual value is $8.7 million, which proved to be a bargain for the Penguins throughout the deal. Rossi speculated back on Apr. 24 that it could be a three-year extension with an AAV of $10 million.

BS Meter: Not BS
Rossi wouldn’t be reporting this unless a deal was close at hand given Crosby’s importance to the Penguins. Despite concerns from Pittsburgh fans and pundits over the current state of the team after missing the playoffs for the last two years, it seems Crosby will finish his NHL career as a Penguin.

Salary cap information via Puck Pedia.

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SIGNING: Ryan Suter Lands With New Team After Dallas Buyout – NHL Trade Rumors

SIGNING: Ryan Suter Lands With New Team After Dallas Buyout – NHL Trade Rumors

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Less than two weeks after being bought out by the Dallas Stars, veteran defenseman Ryan Suter has found a new home. He’ll suit up for his 20th NHL season with the St. Louis Blues.#stlblues announce they’ve agreed to terms with veteran defenseman Ryan Suter, who was bought out by the Dallas Stars this summer. It’s a one-year deal for $775,000.— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) July 10, 2024 It’s a one-year deal for the minimum, at $775,000. In addition, there are $2.225 million in potential performance bonuses. While Suter was still playing a solid role on the Dallas blueline, the Stars needed all the cap room they could get for offseason moves, and saved $1.4 million in cap space each of the next two seasons by buying out the 39-year-old. With that, he became only the second player in NHL history to have his contract bought out two different times. But the veteran played a big role throughout his three seasons with Dallas, though many feel that as another long playoff run wore on, he may have lost a step late this season. He still finished the regular season with a +14 rating while playing 19 minutes a night.Suter was one of the NHL’s top defenseman for years, logging up to 29 minutes a game at times with the Minnesota Wild, and finishing in the top 10 of the Norris Trophy balloting six straight seasons in the middle of his career. Photo: © Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

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Ducks Name Maharaj Director of Goaltending, Hire Army and Budaj to NHL Coaching Staff

Ducks Name Maharaj Director of Goaltending, Hire Army and Budaj to NHL Coaching Staff

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The Ducks have promoted Sudarshan Maharaj to Director of Goaltending. In addition, the club has named Tim Army Assistant Coach, Peter Budaj Anaheim’s Goaltending Coach and elevated Julien Tremblay to NHL Player Development. The hirings complete Anaheim’s 2024-25 coaching staff, which includes Head Coach Greg Cronin, Assistant Coaches Tim Army, Richard Clune and Brent Thompson, Goaltending Coach Peter Budaj and Video Coordinator Austin Violette.
Maharaj, 60, will now oversee all aspects of the organization’s goaltending, including coaching, development and scouting. Ducks Goaltending Coach Peter Budaj and San Diego Gulls Goaltending Coach Jeff Glass will both report to Maharaj while supporting the club’s goaltending objectives.
Maharaj will enter his 12th season with Anaheim in 2024-25, serving as Anaheim’s Goaltending Coach the past seven seasons (2017-24), while he joined the organization in 2013-14 as a consultant focused on the club’s AHL affiliates in San Diego and Norfolk for four seasons (2013-17). Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023, Maharaj is now cancer-free after a very low chance of survival. He faced long odds undergoing major surgery removing his entire gallbladder, parts of his small intestines, pancreas and stomach, with 11 rounds of chemotherapy and numerous other challenges throughout his courageous fight. 
A native of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Maharaj spent eight seasons with the New York Islanders from 2003-06 (Goaltending Coach) and 2009-12 (Goaltending Consultant). He also helped develop the National Goaltending Development Program for Hockey Canada (2005-07) and served as Goaltending Consultant for the Korean national team in preparation for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Budaj, 41, joins Anaheim following two-plus seasons as Goaltending Coach for the Colorado Eagles, the Colorado Avalanche’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). Budaj joined the Eagles midway through the 2021-22 season.
Budaj was selected by Colorado in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft, compiling a 17-year professional career and 368 NHL games with the Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning. He posted a 158-132-40 record in the NHL, posting 18 shutouts, a 2.70 goals-against average (GAA) and .904 save percentage (SV%).
A native of Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, Budaj also appeared in 241 career AHL contests, posting a 105-90-34 record with the Hershey Bears, St. John’s IceCaps, Syracuse Crunch and Ontario Reign. He was named the AHL’s Best Goaltender in 2015-16 season, leading the league in wins (42-14-5), GAA (1.75), SV% (.932) and shutouts (9). Internationally, Budaj represented Slovakia at three Winter Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014) while appearing in two World Championships (2008, 2010), two World Junior Championships (2001, 2002) and the 2000 U-18 World Championship.
Army, 61, has more than 35 years of coaching experience, including 15 as an Assistant Coach in the NHL and 14 as a Head Coach in the AHL and NCAA. Army served as an Assistant Coach with Anaheim for the club’s first four seasons from 1993-97, in addition to Washington (1997-02) and Colorado (2011-17).
The Providence, R.I. native has amassed a 256-204-97 record (.547) in 557 games in two stints as a Head Coach in the AHL. Army spent five seasons as the Head Coach of the Iowa Wild (AHL) from 2018-23, leading the team to a 157-115-45 record in 317 games. He helped the club to two postseason appearances in the three seasons where the AHL conducted the Calder Cup Playoffs (2019 and 2020 playoffs not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Army also served as Head Coach with the Portland Pirates of the AHL from 2002-05, leading the club to a 99-89-52 record in 240 games and reaching the playoffs in two of his three seasons.
Army served as an Assistant Coach with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL in 2017-18 between his stints with the Avalanche and Wild. Army spent six seasons as Head Coach of his alma mater Providence College from 2005-11. His first coaching position was an Assistant Coach at Providence College (1987-1993) after playing one year of professional hockey in 1985-86.
Internationally, Army was an Assistant Coach with Team USA at three World Championships (1994, 1996 and 2013) and  2004 World Cup, and served as Head Coach at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial. He was Associate Coach for China during their 2026 Olympic qualifying in 2023-24.
Selected by Colorado in the ninth round (171st overall) of the 1981 NHL Draft, Army played hockey at Providence College for four years, captaining the club his season to the Friars’ first Hockey East championship and the 1985 NCAA Finals. He scored 71-107=178 points in 151 career NCAA games in four seasons, completing his senior season as a Hobey Baker Award finalist and being named to the All-Hockey East First Team and an ACHA East First Team All-American. He was inducted to the Providence Hall of Fame in 1997.

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Ruslan Iskhakov leaving Islanders for KHL’s CSKA Moscow

Ruslan Iskhakov leaving Islanders for KHL’s CSKA Moscow

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Ruslan Iskhakov’s two games with the Islanders late last season ended up being his only games with the club.

The 23-year-old, who led AHL Bridgeport in goals and assists last season, is signing with CSKA Moscow in the KHL, an industry source told The Post.

Championat, a Russian news outlet, initially reported the news.

Ruslan Iskhakov is headed to CSKA Moscow. NHLI via Getty Images

Iskhakov, the team’s second-round pick in 2018, was considered one of the better prospects in the organization. But the writing was on the wall as he struggled to get a call-up despite posting strong numbers in the AHL. 

His 5-foot-8 stature posed issues in the NHL that were immediately evident when Iskhakov finally did get the call in the last game of the regular season.

With Matt Martin hurt in the playoffs, Patrick Roy tried inserting Iskhakov in Game 4 of the first-round series against the Hurricanes, but the winger failed to make an impact over limited minutes.

“He did OK,” Roy said after that game. “Seriously, it was not easy, come on, coming in like this. For the bit he played, he gave us what we thought he was going to and I was very pleased with what I saw.”

Iskhakov was a second-round pick in 2018. Getty Images

Iskhakov was one of four restricted free agents the Islanders had yet to sign; Simon Holmstrom, Oliver Wahlstrom and Dennis Cholowski are the other three.

Wahlstrom filed for arbitration ahead of the league’s deadline.

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Greg Johnson — NHL veteran who died by suicide in 2019 — diagnosed with CTE, family says

Greg Johnson — NHL veteran who died by suicide in 2019 — diagnosed with CTE, family says

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Greg Johnson, a former NHL center and Nashville Predators captain who died by suicide in 2019, was diagnosed with CTE, his family announced through the Concussion Legacy Foundation on Wednesday.CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries, such as those experienced in contact sports or military combat, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CTE can only be definitively diagnosed by an autopsy of the brain after death.Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, who has led NIH-funded research on the disease, diagnosed Johnson with CTE, a news release from the Concussion Legacy Foundation said. McKee was not able to definitively determine the severity of Johnson’s CTE due to the manner of his death, per the release.A post-mortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered as the cause of suicide, which is “complex and multifactorial,” the release noted, but traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with suicide independent of CTE. The relationship between TBI, CTE and suicide has not been formally studied, the release said.Johnson died at age 48 on July 7, 2019, in Rochester, Mich. No suicide note was left, according to the Detroit News, which cited a Rochester Police report. The Oakland County (Mich.) Medical Examiner declined to discuss findings from an autopsy completed around the time of Johnson’s death, the Detroit News previously reported.Johnson’s wife of 22 years, Kristin Johnson, said that his CTE diagnosis “took (her) breath away.”“Greg’s death shattered our world, and we never once thought this disease was something he struggled with,” Kristin said in a news release. “He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition (that forced) him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”Johnson’s eldest daughter, Carson Johnson, said she had “no idea what CTE even stood for when (her) dad took his life.”“Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to startacknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers,” Carson said in the release.Piper Johnson, Johnson’s youngest daughter, added: “He truly was the best dad ever, and to lose him to suicide was beyond anything we could imagine. It was awful, but we want to talk about it to help others struggling know they are not alone, and there is help available.”The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Johnson in the second round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, but he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1993 before ever appearing for Philadelphia. He spent the next 12 seasons in the NHL playing for the Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Predators, finishing his career with 145 goals and 224 assists in 785 games.Johnson, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was also a member of Canada’s national team, winning a silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway. He won gold with Canada in the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.Johnson played college ice hockey for the University of North Dakota from 1989 through 1993.He retired in 2006 after an irregular heartbeat was discovered during a physical examination.If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.GO DEEPERChris Simon’s death puts spotlight on hockey and CTE: ‘The NHL is going the Big Tobacco route'(Photo: Noah Graham / Getty Images)

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NHL Rumours: The Future Regarding Maple Leafs Forward – Last Word On Sports

NHL Rumours: The Future Regarding Maple Leafs Forward – Last Word On Sports

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NHL Rumours: The Future Regarding Maple Leafs Forward  Last Word On SportsMasters shares how he thinks the Marner saga will play out with Toronto  TSNNHL Insider Shuts Down Toronto Maple Leafs Trade  Sports IllustratedDamien Cox: The Leafs appear to be running it back next season. Here’s why you can’t really blame them  Toronto StarWhat a Mitch Marner contract extension could look like  MSN

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Minor League Signings: 7/9/24

Minor League Signings: 7/9/24

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As the summer calms down for NHL teams, it’s beginning to pick up for minor league programs looking to fill out the depth of their lineup. We cover the notable AHL signings from July 9th here.

The Ontario Reign have signed forward Shawn Element and defender John Parker-Jones. Element is moving north after spending the first three years of his career with the Syracuse Crunch. He’s found his groove as a bruiser over the last two seasons, posting 88 penalty minutes in 48 games last season and 100 in 64 games this year. His scoring has stayed consistent during the stretch, with Element marking nine goals and 18 points in both years. He’ll look to bring that grit to a hard-hitting Reign lineup. The same can be said about Parker-Jones, who recorded 90 penalty minutes in 55 games with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions this year. He’s only played 22 AHL games since turning pro in 2022-23, recording just three points, but could get a better shot at ice time as he moves to a Reign lineup in need of defensive depth.
The Henderson Silver Knights have signed centerman Mitch McLain to a two-year deal. The move will return McLain to the United States, after spending the last two seasons with the Calgary Wranglers. He recorded 32 goals, 51 points, and 220 penalty minutes in 119 games over the pair of years. The performances have helped McLain further dig his feet into the role of a high-event forward, after posting 17 goals, 23 points, and 113 penalty minutes in 76 games with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2021-22. He’ll hope his bruting presence can continue to Henderson, where he’ll back a young Silver Knights lineup.
Henderson has also announced one-year deals for forwards Riley McKay and Braeden Bowman. McKay joins the Silver Knights after two years with the Laval Rocket and a brief stint with Trois-Rivieres. He’s recorded 17 points and 266 penalty minutes in 69 games with Laval – though he’s still searching for the heights he reached in 2021-22, when he managed 27 points and 192 penalty minutes in 51 ECHL games. Meanwhile, Bowman joins the Silver Knights as an undrafted free agent, after playing through a four-year career with the OHL’s Guelph Storm. Bowman managed 180 points across 184 games in the OHL and captained Guelph in this past season.
The Charlotte Checkers have signed veteran AHL centerman Kyle Criscuolo to a one-year, minor-league contract. Criscuolo has spent the last 10 seasons in the AHL, playing for six different clubs and winning the Calder Cup in 2017. The 32-year-old has managed 143 points and 248 penalty minutes in 430 career games in the AHL. That includes Criscuolo’s career-high 42 points in 63 games this year. He’s also earned spot starts with three different NHL clubs, ultimately totaling 16 games and three points in the league. Criscuolo has a long track record in the hockey world, captaining Harvard University from 2014 to 2016 and since spending five years of his AHL career as an alternate captain. He’ll bring leadership and stout scoring to Charlotte’s lineup.
Former Colorado Eagles captain Jayson Megna will stick with the team, after signing a two-year, minor-league contract (Twitter link). Megna spent parts of four seasons with the Eagles from 2019 to 2023, though he opted to sign a one-year, two-way deal with the Boston Bruins last summer. That moved him to the Providence Bruins for the 2023-24 season – to fantastic effect, with Megna posting a career-high 56 points in 69 games. It was the most time Megna has spent in the minors since 2018-19, spending much of his time since then filling a depth forward role int he NHL. He’s earned 33 points and 40 penalty minutes in 204 NHL games over the course of his career, but will instead focus on bringing his newfound scoring back to the Eagles next season.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have re-signed forward Jacob Gaucher to a one-year deal, per Tony Androckitis of AHL.com (Twitter link). Gaucher played through his AHL rookie season this year, posting 16 points, split evenly, in 59 games and adding just 18 penatly minutes and a -7. The measly stat line comes after a tremendous ECHL season last year. In what was his first professional season, Gaucher posted 22 goals and 61 points in 71 games with the Reading Royals, adding 12 points in 11 playoff games. That performance has seemingly played him out of an ECHL role, though he’ll need to find his scoring at an AHL level next year if he wants to keep things that way.

* This post will be updated throughout the day.

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NHL announces 2024 Stanley Award winners

NHL announces 2024 Stanley Award winners

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BOSTON — As each of the winners of the 2024 Stanley Awards were read off by the various presenters at Big Night Live in Boston on Tuesday, applause suffused the room.
But it took Anson Carter going off script to truly bring the house down.
As the former NHL forward and current TNT and Sportsnet analyst took the stage to hand out the award for Best Marketing Campaign, the final one of the night, he brought Jack Edwards back to the stage. The former Boston Bruins play-by-play announcer was forced to retire at the end of the 2023-24 season because of a puzzling speech complication that has not been explained by doctors.
He got a standing ovation.
It was a fitting end to the presentation as the NHL honored its best in business at the sixth Stanley Awards, an event that began in Las Vegas in 2018. The awards were held during the 2024 NHL Club Business Meetings presented by Ticketmaster in Boston, hosted by the Bruins, which recognized great achievements, innovation, creativity for fan engagement, and results across all NHL clubs during the 2023-24 season.
The show, which was hosted by Kathryn Tappen, included former Bruins defenseman and Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, PWHL Boston general manager Danielle Marmer and 2024 PWHL Draft pick Sydney Bard, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery and former Bruins player Andrew Ference, along with Carter and Edwards as presenters.
The winners were chosen from 134 entries by the 32 NHL clubs, picked by an external judging panel of leaders in the sports and entertainment industry.
“I think what we want to do in honoring the clubs with the Stanley Awards is, quite frankly, recognizing the great work being done by all of our teams across the League on a daily basis in all the categories that we recognize,” said Susan Cohig, NHL executive vice president of club business affairs.
“There’s two objectives. One is to recognize the great work that’s being done, but it also creates a great forum for information sharing and best practices. Because not only do we acknowledge with the finalists and then the winners of each award, but all of our teams have access to all of the submission work so they can look and see what’s happening in other markets.”
And it helps motivate other teams, elevating everyone.
“The idea of collectively working together and sharing information has really spurred creativity, so now we have more than 130 submissions across all of our teams,” Cohig said. “Just knowing how much teams work on all of this, not only the great work that’s happening every day, but how they prepare the submissions and all of the metrics that accompany them, it’s just seeing the growth of that as well.”
The award for Marketing Campaign, a program intended to promote the club’s brand and/or a related product, service or business initative, ended up going to the Anaheim Ducks, winners for Vans Campaign, in which they released three branded shoes in collaboration with Vans. It was the club’s first Stanley Award win.
Seven other awards were handed out on Tuesday.
The Washington Capitals won for Best Social Impact and Growth Initiatives, taking the award for their All Her campaign that encourages the participation of girls in hockey. The award was for programs designed to build a healthier and more vibrant community, generating greater access, opportunity and inclusion.
“We’re dedicated to women’s hockey,” Hunter Lochmann, chief marketing officer for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said of the award, the third for the Capitals.
The Philadelphia Flyers won Social Media Club of the Year, an award that recognizes overall excellence by a club’s social media team. It was their third Stanley Award win.
The Bruins won for Best Sponsorship Activation, taking their second Stanley Award win, this time for their JetBlue/Centennial Jersey Launch Partnership. The award honors a creative and/or successful partnership campaign, platform or promotion executed in conjunction with one or more club sports with the goal of achieving mutually beneficial brand and business objectives.
The Calgary Flames won their first award for Best Ticketing Initiative, an effort designed to generate new ticket sales or increase season ticket member sales or retention for their Scratchy Tuesday campaign.
The Vegas Golden Knights won their third Stanley Award for Game Presentation of the Year, which recognizes overall excellence by a club’s game presentation team.
“Collectively as a league, the bar, the level has been raised for game presentation throughout the entire League,” said Eric Tosi, the marketing officer of the Golden Knights. “So, to be recognized here is a tremendous honor.”
There were two new awards this year, bringing the total to eight.
The New York Islanders won for Venue Business Initiative, an award recognizing the club and arena which improved the fan experience via enhancements. The Islanders won for The Park at UBS Arena, earning their first Stanley Award.
The Dallas Stars won for Strategy, Analytics, and Innovation, their first win coming for an award that identifies overall excellence by a club’s Strategy and Analytics group.
“The awards are the culmination of recognizing the great work, but the substance of being able to talk about what happens, how it comes together, the planning, the metrics and how it all comes together during the Club Business Meetings, marrying those up together is incredibly important,” Cohig said.

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