SEATTLE — Refs? Check. Front office? Indeed. Scouting, skating coaches, video work — those boxes are a long way from blank.

But a woman behind the bench? A female assistant coach with no caveats? That's an NHL first.

And it happened here in Seattle.

That's a necessary introduction, because this is history. We've seen women break through ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Here's a hot take: The Pittsburgh Penguins could actually be pretty good this season.

Here's a hotter one: Given the pedigree and paychecks of their top eight players or so, plus the pedigree and paycheck of their head coach, they should be pretty good. They do not deserve the benefit of low expectations.

What if their best ...Read more

DETROIT — Sometimes, Red Savage will see Trey Augustine trudge along around Michigan State's Munn Arena and just shake his head.

"We call him Gramps sometimes because he's always waddling around the rink," said Savage, a Red Wings prospect talking about his MSU teammate and fellow Wings prospect. "You forget he's just a little 19-year-old. I ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. – During the first two days of the San Jose Sharks’ development camp this week, center Will Smith displayed the kind of skating, puckhandling, and vision that helped make him the fourth overall pick at last year’s NHL Draft.

But as he enters his first pro season after signing an entry-level contract with the Sharks in ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Danny Briere wasn’t too worried about keeping Bobby Brink in Orange and Black. Every time he was asked, the Philadelphia Flyers general manager said “something will get done.”

And now it is.

The Flyers have re-signed Brink to a one-way, two-year contract with an annual average value of $1.5 million. Brink, who turns 23 ...Read more

DETROIT — The Red Wings headed into the long holiday weekend adding some needed offense — then traded some of it away.

The Wings signed free-agent forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million ($4.75 annual average value), then announced shortly afterward that they traded forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 ...Read more

SEATTLE — Newest Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell has long said she feels she’s been treated no differently by the men working around her as she continued to break hockey barriers.

That sense of belonging should serve Saskatchewan, Canada, native Campbell, 32, well in her most groundbreaking role yet — announced Wednesday ...Read more

TAMPA BAY, Fla. — We fall in love easily.

That’s what a sports fan does. Every new prospect is a potential romance, and every season’s end is another round of heartbreak. It’s not that we’re difficult, we just have certain qualities we demand of our athletic idols.

Like dignity. Loyalty and humility. Persistence, heart and a scorer�...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins front office and ownership group are in a tough spot, so I understand what they are trying to do.

They are trying to have their cake and eat it, too. They are trying build for the future and win now. Kyle Dubas said as much Monday when he met with the media.

"We're not looking to simply squeak into the ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Penguins on Tuesday signed Sebastian Aho — no, not that Sebastian Aho, but the veteran NHL defenseman with the same name — to a two-year deal.

The contract carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.

Aho, 28, is a lefty who has played 190 career games over five NHL seasons, all with the New York ...Read more

SEATTLE — On Tuesday, the Kraken freed up funds to pay their young talent and space for a homegrown defenseman waiting in the wings, dealing veteran Brian Dumoulin to the Anaheim Ducks for a fourth-round draft pick.

On Monday, the Kraken signed right-handed defenseman Brandon Montour to a seven-year, $50 million contract with an average ...Read more

Just moments ago, Aleksander Barkov arrived with hesitant English at 18, so young he couldn’t lease a car and had to borrow one from fellow Finn and former Florida Panther Olli Jokinen.

Just moments ago, Barkov went through six coaches in his first eight seasons, not winning so much as a playoff series with any of them, and suffered through ...Read more

DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon might be the MVP of the 2024 offseason, too.

The Colorado Avalanche made several signings Monday on the first day of free agency. None were more important to the club’s ability to compete for the Stanley Cup in 2025 than finding a way to bring Jonathan Drouin back — and there’s no way that happens without ...Read more

SEATTLE — Fresh off signing free agent defenseman Brandon Montour, the Kraken continued major additions to their team Monday by inking Vegas Golden Knights centerman Chandler Stephenson to a seven-year, $43.75 million deal.

“He brings a winning pedigree and offensive consistency to our team, and we are looking forward to him being a part of...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Reality set in at 9 a.m. Monday.

The Golden Knights and Jonathan Marchessault are going their separate ways.

The 33-year-old right wing, who is the Knights’ all-time leader in goals, assists, points and games played, agreed to terms on a five-year, $27.5 million contract with Nashville the first day of NHL free agency, the ...Read more

BOSTON — When the Boston Bruins were bounced from the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, coach Jim Montgomery lamented the lack of scoring from his team in the series.

“You can’t win every game 2-1,” said the downcast Montgomery at the time.

Well, it looks like they may have to win some more 2-1 games in ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — For the past 16 years, Steven Stamkos has been seen all over Tampa Bay. From the side of Amalie Arena, on billboards and benches, he’s been the face of the Lightning franchise since he was anointed the savior of the organization as an 18-year-old No. 1 draft pick.

He has lifted the Stanley Cup twice, worn the C on his chest ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks made one of their biggest splashes since the current rebuild began, agreeing to terms Monday with Tyler Bertuzzi and bringing back Teuvo Teräväinen on the opening day of NHL free agency.

“Tyler is a fantastic competitor who brings energy every night,” Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said of Bertuzzi ...Read more

The Boston Bruins did most of what they wanted to do – if not everything they needed to do – on Monday, nabbing a top-six centerman and a physical defenseman.

The B’s signed two-way center Elias Lindholm and massive defenseman Nikita Zadorov. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported that Lindholm’s deal is seven years at $7.75 million ...Read more