Traded Kruger to Vegas on Sunday for undisclosed future considerations. Used primarily as a checking-line forward, Kruger had five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 70 games last season. Overall, he has 33 goals and 72 assists for 105 points in 398 games over seven seasons and helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup twice, in 2013 and. 15. Carolina GM Ron Francis says the Hurricanes are determined to bring in experienced players "with winning pedigrees" and adds that Kruger "fits that mold." More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyJagr, Kovalchuk among questions left in busy NHL free agency A busy weekend to kick off NHL free agency has left a few prominent players still looking for landing spots and teams still ne Eding to fill some holes. The leftover list is a who s who of stars from "previous decades, notably Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla, while Montreal likely won t bring back defenseman Andrei" Markov. Now that Joe Thornton has returned to San Jose and Patrick Marleaud traded Kruger to Vegas on Sunday for undisclosed future considerations. Used primarily as a checking-line forward, Kruger had five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 70 games last season. Overall, he has 33 goals and 72 assists for 105 points in 398 games over seven seasons and helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup twice, in 2013 and ’15. Carolina GM Ron Francis says the Hurricanes are ”determined to bring in experienced players with winning pedigrees” and adds that Kruger ”fits that mold.” — More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyJagr, Kovalchuk among questions left in busy NHL free agency A busy weekend to kick off NHL free agency has left a few prominent players still looking for landing spots and teams still needing to fill some holes. The leftover list is a who’s who of stars from previous decades, notably Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla, while Montreal likely won’t bring back defenseman Andrei Markov. Now that Joe Thornton has returned to San Jose and Patrick Marleau has moved on to Toronto , much of the intrigue has been taken out of the offseason. There are still a few big loose ends to address with two months left before training camp, though: OLD FISH After Alexander Radulov signed a $31.25 million, five-year deal with Dallas on Monday, the most productive players remaining on the market are on the downside of their careers: cheap hockey sticks Jagr at 45, Iginla at 40, Markov at 38 and Thomas Vanek at 33. Then there are 40-year-olds Shane Doan and Matt Cullen and 37-year-old Mike Fisher trying to decide whether to play another year. Cullen in particular showed he still has something left by helping Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons. He could help any contender. ”Cully was just such an amazing friend and an amazing teammate that no one would be surprised, at least that played with him, if he came back,” said former Penguins center Nick Bonino, who signed a $16.4 million, four-year deal with the Predators. ”Physically, he’s in great shape. I think for him, it’s mentally if he wants to do another season of it.” Jagr won’t be back with Florida, and Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said he won’t consider signing him for a second tour in Philadelphia. A couple of young players worth watching are former top prospects Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko, who weren’t given qualifying offers as restricted free agents. Yakupov and Grigorenko are 23, could come cheap on prove-it contracts and still contribute after rocky starts to their NHL careers. KOVALCHUK BACK TO KHL? Ilya Kovalchuk has been exploring a return to the NHL, but there’s no evidence that’s going to happen next season. The New Jersey Devils own the Russian forward’s rights for one more year, and GM Ray Shero said it’s first up to agent Jay Grossman to talk to interested teams about Kovalchuk before he even gets involved to potentially work out a trade. That hasn’t happened yet. ”I assume at some point in the next few days, we should have a real good indication of what’s going on or what he’s going to do,” Shero said. Kovalchuk could play one more season in the Kontinental Hockey League and become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2018 at age 35, when he’d also be eligible for an incentive-based contract. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS Washington is making some major changes, which have less to do with an early playoff exit than an impossible salary-cap situation. Either way, the Capitals still need.
To confront some things. After signing right wing T.J. Oshie ($46 million/eight years), defenseman Dmitry Orlov ($30.6 million/six years) and center Evgeny Kuznetsov ($64.2 million/eight years), they cleared more than $4.5 million in cap space by trading forward Marcus Johansson to New Jersey, but they can t be done. Washington has about '$9.2 million to sign restricted free agent forward Andre Burakovsky and goaltender Philipp Grubauer and has enough remaining to fill out the roster with at least five other players. TRADE MARKET July has become a popular time for significant trades because teams have more cap space to maneuver than at the deadline. Because the expansion draft froze player movement for almost a week in June. There has bee N plenty of chatter, and the deals are expected to continue. Vegas has already flipped defensemen - Marc Methot to Dallas Trevor van Riemsdyk to Carolina, Alexei Emelin to Nashville and David Schlemko to Montreal acquired center Marcus Kruger FRN - and to confront some things. After signing right wing T.J. Oshie ($46 million/eight years), defenseman Dmitry Orlov ($30.6 million/six years) and center Evgeny Kuznetsov ($64.2 million/eight years), they cleared more than $4.5 million in cap space by trading forward Marcus Johansson to New Jersey, but they can’t be done. Washington has about $9.2 million to sign restricted free agent forward Andre Burakovsky and goaltender Philipp Grubauer and has enough remaining to fill out the roster with at least five other players. TRADE MARKET July has become a popular time for significant trades because teams have more cap space to maneuver than at the deadline. Because the expansion draft froze player movement for almost a week in June, there has been plenty of chatter, and the deals are expected to continue. Vegas has already flipped defensemen – Marc Methot to Dallas, cheap Calgary Flames Jerseys For Sale Trevor van Riemsdyk to Carolina, Alexei Emelin to Nashville and David Schlemko to Montreal – and acquired center Marcus Kruger from Chicago. The Devils are still looking for a defenseman and could use their forward depth to acquire one. And then there’s Colorado center Matt Duchene, who was at the epicenter of trade talk in February and still hasn’t been dealt. Columbus, Pittsburgh and Nashville have been rumored as potential destinations for Duchene. ”I don’t create the rumors and I don’t really comment on them, so it doesn’t really matter to me on rumors,” Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said. ”You guys will know if we decide to make a move that we think improves our club.” EXTENSION SEASON New contracts signed already that kick in for the 2018-19 season include Canadiens goaltender Carey Price’s $84 million over eight years, Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s $56 million over eight years and Sharks goaltender Martin Jones’ $34.5 million over six years. Price’s new $10.5 million cap hit ties him with Blackhawks stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane for the highest in the league – for now. That’s because the Edmonton Oilers are expected to soon finalize a deal with 20-year-old captain and Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid that could be worth in the neighborhood of $12 or 13 million. Edmonton also has to sign restricted free agent forward Leon Draisaitl this summer, and that won’t come cheap. John Tavares’ situation with the New York Islanders bears watching, with speculation that he’ll go into next season without an extension. Tavares is a nearly irreplaceable franchise player, though he has to believe that the Islanders are building a Cup contender in order to commit long term. — Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . — More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyLA Kings sign longtime Wild G Darcy Kuemper to 1-year deal LOS ANGELES (AP) Goalie Darcy Kuemper has agreed to a one-year, $650,000 deal with the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings announced the deal Saturday. Kuemper had spent his entire career with the Minnesota Wild, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2009. He never managed to win the full-time starting job in Minnesota, and he has been a backup since Minnesota acquired Devan Dubnyk in January 2015. Kuemper is likely to compete with Jack Campbell and Jeff Zatkoff for the Kings’ backup job behind Jonathan Quick. Los Angeles traded Peter Budaj to Tampa Bay last season for Ben Bishop, who signed with the Dallas Stars before free agency began. The Kings also recently signed Notre Dame goalie Cal Petersen.
To a two-year deal AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyMarcus Johansson More caught off guard by trade to Devils NEWARK N.J. (AP) After winning Presidents Trophy and losing in the "second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs two years in a row, Marcus Johansson knew the Washington Capitals were going to make changes. Coming off a career-best season, the 26-year-old Swede just didn t think he would be" one the guys leaving Washington. After being surprised Sunday by a deal that sent him to the New Jersey Devils for two 2018 draft picks, Johansson said Friday he s looking forward to the "chance to play for a rebuilding franchise that finished last in the conference this past season. Johansson was asleep when the trade was ma De, admitting it took him time to come to grips with it. I still half asleep "was when I saw it. At first you are in shock, and you have to try to figure out what is going on he said in a conference," call from Sweden. "You try to go through all the texts an- to a two-year deal — More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyMarcus Johansson caught off guard by trade to Devils NEWARK, N.J. (AP) After winning Presidents’ Trophy and losing in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs two years in a row, Marcus Johansson knew the Washington Capitals were going to make changes. Coming off a career-best season, the 26-year-old Swede just didn’t think he would be one the guys leaving Washington. After being surprised Sunday by a deal that sent him to the New Jersey Devils for two 2018 draft picks, Johansson said Friday he’s looking forward to the chance to play for a rebuilding franchise that finished last in the conference this past season. Johansson was asleep when the trade was made, admitting it took him time to come to grips with it. ”I was still half asleep when I saw it. At first you are in shock, and you have to try to figure out what is going on,” he said in a conference call from Sweden. ”You try to go through all the texts and everything to see what is happening.” Devils general manager Ray Shero picked up Johansson because the Capitals faced a salary cap crisis after signing center Evgeny Kuznetsov to a $62.4 million, eight-year deal. That made Johansson expendable and the deal was made. Washington also re-signed right wings T.J. Oshie and Andre Burakovsky, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer. cheap Jonas Hiller jersey ”I didn’t get the sense that I would be moved. But you never know what is going to happen and there were a lot of guys that had to be- re-signed,” Johansson said. Once the shock wore off, Johansson got down to basics. He started thinking about selling his home and moving his family. ”As soon as it sunk in, you see all the positives, all the chances and opportunities to go somewhere else and create new memories for the family and new hockey memories as well, and be a part of something that I think is moving in the right direction,” he said. The Devils are not the Capitals. Washington has made the playoffs nine of the past 10 seasons, missing only in 2014. New Jersey has missed the playoffs the past five seasons, and they are coming off a 28-40-14 record, their worst in nearly three decades. ”I don’t mind sort of being an underdog,” Johansson said. ”I think we have a great team and if we can put all the pieces together, I think we should surprise a lot of people. I am looking forward to that.” Johansson had 24 goals and 34 assists last season, with his goal total and 58 points career highs. His up-tempo game fits into the style coach John Hynes is trying to establish. Johansson can play any of the forward positions. He was a left side last season. Johansson doesn’t know his new teammates, other than seeing them on the ice. New Jersey will have first overall draft pick Nico Hischier and it has three top forwards in Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique and Kyle Palmieri. The Devils also signed veteran center Brian Boyle. Looking back on his time with the Capitals, Johansson said the team’s biggest problem was not winning the big games. They were beaten 2-0 at home in Game 7 of the conference semifinals by the now two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. ”We didn’t play very well in it and didn’t give ourselves a chance in it, where Pittsburgh maybe played their best game,” Johansson said. ”That’s what it comes down to, you have to play your best game when it is needed the most, and we didn’t.” —.