NHL

6:55 PM ET Associated Press Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame radio play-by-play announcer Mike Lange is taking an early intermission before starting his 46th season in the booth. The team announced Friday that the 72-year-old Lange will sit out the beginning of the 2021 season as a precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’ve decided

1:15 PM ET The Dallas Stars had six players and two staff members test positive for COVID-19, and the NHL expects the team will not open its 2020-21 season any earlier than Jan. 19. Those who tested positive are self-isolating and following CDC and NHL protocols. The positive tests have forced the Stars to close

7:00 AM ET The NHL drops the puck on the 2021 season on Jan. 13, and things are going to look different. It’s not just the abridged 56-game season length and temporary divisional realignment. The league also instituted several new rules. There’s one big on-ice change, which could simplify one of hockey’s most controversial rules

7:15 AM ET We’re just days away from embarking on a very different kind of NHL season, and it was fascinating to see how this year’s NHL Rank — our predictive ranking of the top 100 players for 2020-21 — played out. But it also got me thinking: How different will this list look in

5:49 PM ET Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have re-signed defenseman Sami Vatanen less than a year after trading him to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils announced Thursday that the free agent was given a one-year, $2 million contract. “He’s highly competitive,” coach Lindy Ruff said after practice. “He’s another veteran

10:28 AM ET From Jan. 13 through May 8, there are NHL games scheduled every night as part of its truncated 56-game 2020-21 season. Every. Single. Night. On some nights, there’s just one game. If you’re itching to watch an NHL game on Jan. 25, for example, your option is the Ottawa Senators at the

7:15 AM ET On Wednesday, we released our NHL Rank for the 2020-21 season — a predictive list of the top 100 players for this coming season. A panel of 11 ESPN NHL experts (it wasn’t just the two of us!) graded players based on how good they will be in comparison to their peers

7:34 PM ET Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nashville Predators have signed forward Luke Kunin to a two-year, $4.6 million contract, general manager David Poile said Wednesday. The Predators acquired Kunin, 23, on Oct. 7 in a trade with Minnesota. Kunin just finished his third professional season, and he played 63 games for the

12:02 PM ET ESPN News Services Buffalo Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons is expected to miss the regular season after undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury, the team announced Wednesday. Girgensons suffered the injury during a scrimmage Monday. The Sabres said he is expected to miss about six months, which would keep him out well into

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

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

7:15 AM ET Three months ago, Alexis Lafreniere completed his run as “hockey’s next big thing” by being drafted at No. 1 in the 2020 NHL draft by the New York Rangers. But now, with the 2020-21 season upon us and the 2021 NHL draft just under seven months away, we’re turning the page to

7:00 AM ET An NHL player can get a lot done in 56 games. Pittsburgh Penguins rookie defenseman John Marino earned a long-term contract extension in 56 games last season. Anaheim Ducks star Ryan Getzlaf tallied 61 points in 56 games in the 2017-18 season. The NHL’s 2020-21 regular season has been shortened to 56

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

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

Dec 8, 2020 If given the option, you should not differentiate between centers, left wings and rights wings in your fantasy league. Grouping all forwards into one position is the default option for ESPN leagues, and it’s the better way to play the game. There, I said it. Why? The line has become too blurred.

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