NHL

12:21 AM ET Associated Press WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Winnipeg Jets are closing in on Rick Bowness as their head coach. A Jets spokesperson told The Canadian Press on Friday that while nothing was finalized, the 67-year-old Bowness “is the person we’re focusing on as our next head coach.” Bowness spent most of the past

8:08 PM ET The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed Brock Boeser to a three-year contract carrying an average annual value of $6.65 million. According to Cap Friendly, a salary-tracking website, the deal also includes a 10-team no-movement clause in the final season. Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced the agreement with their pending restricted free agent

3:19 PM ET Associated Press The Dallas Stars have re-signed backup goalie Scott Wedgewood to a $2 million, two-year contract Friday. Wedgewood split last season with New Jersey, Arizona and Dallas, joining the Stars in a trade that sent a third-round pick in 2023 to the Coyotes. He was 3-1-3 with a 3.05 goals-against average

9:59 AM ET ESPN News Services The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Nick Paul to a seven-year, $22.05 million contract, general manager Julien BriseBois announced Friday. Earlier this week, BriseBois had identified Paul as one of three players, along with forward Ondrej Palat and defenseman Jan Rutta, whom the Lightning were focused on re-signing.

7:00 AM ET The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs have ended, with the Colorado Avalanche winning their first Cup since 2001. As the runner-up Tampa Bay Lightning and the other 30 non-Cup winners look to prevent an Avs repeat next season, there are a number of lingering questions on how exactly they’ll go about doing it.

7:05 AM ET Growing up in Pittsburgh as an Alex Ovechkin fan wasn’t always easy for Logan Cooley. “I definitely got a lot of hate for that,” said Cooley, an 18-year-old center for the U.S. National Development team and a top 2022 NHL draft prospect. “I was a big Ovechkin fan. Loved the way he

8:48 PM ET The Boston Bruins are set to name Jim Montgomery as their new head coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday, confirming multiple reports. The appointment is expected to be made official Friday, the same day Montgomery’s contract as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues expires. The 53-year-old Montgomery replaces Bruce Cassidy,

6:56 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — There was Nathan MacKinnon jumping off the fire truck so he could walk the streets and shake hands with the swarm of Avalanche fans. Later, Erik Johnson took the stage and got the crowd to participate in a giant sing-along to the team’s adopted anthem, “All The Small

8:00 AM ET Cale Makar can occasionally make your jaw drop off the ice, too. The Colorado Avalanche defenseman attended the Stanley Cup Final media day recently when he was asked about the matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team seeking a three-peat. “Obviously, they’re a team that’s looking to become a dynasty, and

6:15 PM ET Facing a potential salary cap crunch down the line, the Minnesota Wild traded restricted free agent forward Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings, with a 2022 first-round pick (No. 19 overall) and defenseman prospect Brock Faber going the other direction. The Swiss-born Fiala had a career-best 85 points in 82 regular-season

7:00 AM ET ESPN staff The NHL draft is coming up on July 7 and 8, and will be televised on ESPN (Round 1) and ESPN+ (Rounds 2 through 7). Who will your team take? Here’s a look at 407 of the top prospects available, according to NHL Central Scouting: More: Draft pick tracker: All

7:00 AM ET ESPN staff The 2022 NHL draft is set to take place on July 7 and 8 in Montreal. The first round will be televised on ESPN, while the second through seventh rounds will be available on ESPN+. As a result of the draft lottery, the Montreal Canadiens will select first overall, followed

11:17 AM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning were playing with one hand tied behind their back, or one leg, in some cases, in the Stanley Cup Final — starting with Brayden Point. Bolts general manager Julien BriseBois said the All-Star center had a significant quad tear in his leg. He was hurt in Game 7

7:00 AM ET The Colorado Avalanche dethroned the Tampa Bay Lightning to become the NHL’s 2022 Stanley Cup champions. Hats off to the Avalanche! Well done, Lightning, on almost three-peating! While Colorado gets to enjoy its parade, we’re already turning the page. Here are our way-too-early NHL Power Rankings for the 2022-23 season. Plus, before

4:10 PM ET The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin, forward Daniel Alfredsson and goaltender Roberto Luongo into its 2022 induction class, the Hall announced on Monday. Also included in the class, in the builders’ category, were Finnish women’s hockey icon Hanna-Riikka Sallinen and Herb Carnegie, a Canadian player of Jamaican

10:33 PM ET Associated Press SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick — Jan Mysak scored 10:08 into overtime and the Hamilton Bulldogs beat the Shawinigan Cataractes 4-3 Monday night, clinching a berth in the Memorial Cup final. The semifinal round victory propels the Bulldogs into the championship game against the host Saint John Sea Dogs. Artem Grushnikov,

12:43 AM ET TAMPA, Fla. — Nathan MacKinnon raised the Stanley Cup over his head and then lowered it to his lips. The Colorado Avalanche, a team he dreamed of playing for as a child, were champions for the first time since 2001. MacKinnon, their 26-year-old superstar, had a goal and an assist in their

7:00 PM ET The two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning staved off elimination against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5, largely due to late-game heroics from Ondrej Palat. Palat’s go-ahead goal saved Tampa Bay’s season with 6:22 remaining in regulation helped the Lightning escape Colorado with a 3-2 win. Now, the series is back on