League commissioner Gary Bettman announced in a press release on Monday that the league is taking steps to implement changes, new policies and new initiatives in order to address inappropriate conduct and abuse moving forward. “Whether it happened 10 years ago or last week, the answer must be the same — it is unacceptable,” Bettman said of the alleged abuse. “While we may not have known, the fact is that we as a league — on behalf of ourselves, our teams and our players, coaches, organizations and fans — must respond in a clear, meaningful and appropriate manner....

The Sabres hit the jackpot by winning this year’s lottery and the right to select Rasmus Dahlin, a defenseman billed as a transformative talent and Buffalo’s slam-dunk choice at No. 1 overall. Hailed for its depth, the rest of the 2018 class has plenty to offer teams picking outside the lottery, too. Sporting News is keeping track of every pick made in Dallas. The list below will be updated with player selections June 22-23, as well as other transactions....

While the April lottery drawing covered the most important questions surrounding the typical pre-draft intrigue, we still don’t know how the top 10 will unfold — specifically after the first two picks. The prospects expected to go one and two are quite well known — Team USA center Jack Hughes and Finnish sniper Kaapo Kakko. Not only are they the two premier players in one of the deepest draft classes for forwards in several years, but it is reasonable to assume that all 31 teams were unanimously in agreement, since the very beginning of the season, that those two were in a class by themselves....

The emails, deemed public information by a federal judge in Minnesota, are part of a lawsuit between the NHL and former players accusing the league of improperly communicating the dangers of repeated head injuries. MORE: NHL’s career-ending concussions On Sept. 3, 2011, Bettman sent an email to deputy commissioner Bill Daly and former discipline head Brendan Shanahan in the wake of the sequential deaths of three NHL enforcers — Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak — in a span of four months....

“Nothing has happened to change the status quo,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Associated Press on Wednesday. “There continues to be interest from some markets, and we continue to be interested in discussing the possibilities, but there is no plan moving forward in terms of expansion.” — What should a Vegas NHL team be called? Understandable. Still, we now have two sourced reports that an eventual Las Vegas team (Let’s go Craps!...

Reports of the move surfaced late Wednesday morning from TSN’s Frank Seravali. “This is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in my 44 years in the NHL,” Ducks general manager Bob Murray said in a statement. “We thank Corey for everything he’s meant to the Ducks organization. No matter what he elects to do from here, Corey, his wife, Blakeny, and his son, Griffin, will always be part of the Ducks family....

Buffalo agreed to an eight-year deal worth around $9 million in average annual value with Jeff Skinner, the team announced Friday. Skinner, 27, is coming off of a career-high 40 goals with the Sabres last season. It was his first year in Buffalo as the Sabres acquired him from the Hurricanes in 2018 for Cliff Pu and three draft picks. Skinner is a perennial 30-goal scorer having eclipsed the mark four times since coming into the league as a rookie in 2010....

Looking back at the four Heritage Classic games in years past that date back to 2003, there are a number of memorable moments that go beyond highlight-reel goals and the beauty of playing outdoors. Without further ado, let’s take a look back at the last four games and their top moments. HERITAGE CLASSIC 2019: Time, TV channel, uniforms, weather 2003: Habs’ Jose Theodore rocks the toque Who could ever forget this moment?...

Meanwhile, the two-time defending champions have sputtered out of the gate, but the Penguins (and Blue Jackets) are a mere point back of the Metropolitan Division lead after a cool-off from the Devils. It just goes to show: everything that’s surprised you might not stay that way for long. MORE: Who’s next? Eight more players who could be traded this season The NHL standings are, for the most part, condensing quickly and what a coincidence with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching in the United States....

After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, criticisms toward Russian-born players have escalated, primarily on social media. On Tuesday after a morning skate, Martinook shared his support for 21-year-old Svechnikov, telling reporters, “It’s obviously a unique situation, and it isn’t anything Svech can control. It’s out of his hands. Obviously, you want to support him. You’ve seen it in the league, some are getting some criticism, but for him, he’s been here for six or seven years, so he’s obviously from Russia but—I just think it is totally out of his control....

Whatever the motivation, Predators fans brought it in a big way prior to the start of Game 5 at Bridgestone Arena Saturday. MORE: Four reasons Predators are better equipped to win Stanley Cup Nashville has made it a tradition to throw a catfish onto the ice prior to puck drop. In the playoffs, the catfish come out more frequently and more creatively, dressed up for the occasion. But Saturday wasn’t only a pivotal Game 5 in a best-of-seven series tied 2-2, it was also May 5, more commonly known as Cinco de Mayo....

So, it was no surprise when the Devils showed plenty of confidence Tuesday in the lead-up to their first-round series against the Eastern Conference regular-season champion Tampa Bay Lightning. “We’re hungry for more,” 19-year-old rookie Nico Hischier said following practice at the Prudential Center, two days before Game One down in Tampa. The team’s best player, Taylor Hall, took it a step further. After acknowledging the Lightning’s considerable skill-set and talent level, Hall calmly pointed out, “They have a lot of things to be scared about with our team....

The Colorado Avalanche captain scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 against the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference’s second round to force a Game 7. Less than three minutes into the extra session, rookie Cale Makar stopped the Sharks clearing attempt up the boards. The puck then bounced to Landeskog who swatted at it in the slot and snuck it past Martin Jones for his third goal of the playoffs....

The Blues enter this series with home-ice advantage after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in six games in the first round thanks to a Game 6 hat trick from Jaden Schwartz. The Stars’ road to the second round went through Nashville. Dallas finished off the Predators in Game 6 when John Klingberg scored in overtime to become the first defenseman in Stars franchise history to score a series-clinching goal. This series will put two of the best goaltenders of the year under the spotlight in one of the most-anticipated goaltending duels in recent postseason history....

The rookie winger from Finland now has five goals in nine playoff games after scoring in the Stars’ 4-2 victory in Game 4 of their second-round series against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. Hintz’s goal gave Dallas a 4-1 lead in the second period. The Stars transitioned out of their end and Hintz took off down the left wing. With all eyes on captain Jamie Benn carrying the puck, Hintz blew past Tyler Bozak and sneaked in behind all three Blues defenders....

As the curtain rises Wednesday on another NHL season, the trade rumor mill is already buzzing over which players could be moved before the Feb. 25 deadline. Most trades will involve pending free agents being shed by rebuilding teams near the trade deadline. Some could be cost-cutting deals by clubs trying to free up salary-cap room. It’s also possible a team draws upon one area of roster depth for trade bait to address a weakness elsewhere....

In early July, there was considerable trade speculation involving Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. The 28-year-old Senators captain had rejected a contract extension offer and was reportedly being shopped, with the Stars and Lightning thought to be the front-runners. Since mid-July, however, the Karlsson trade chatter had died down. Last week, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was patiently waiting for the right return and doesn’t intend to just give the superstar away....

REPORTED BY: Aaron Portzline, Columbus Dispatch MORE: Krejci sidelined | Staal rumors DETAILS: Wisniewski was a surprise healthy scratch on Sunday, though he returned to the lineup Tuesday, leading to the inevitable speculation that he could soon become part of a trade. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen denied that there was a deal in the works. Coach Todd Richards confirmed there was no injury, saying simply, “We want him to be better....

Terms were not immediately available and the agreement is pending the Dutch midfielder passing a medical. Sneijder, according to the French club, arrived at Nice shortly after midday on Sunday and will undergo his medical the same day prior to official confirmation of the deal. Ligue 1 title odds Goal reported the two sides would reach an agreement earlier on Sunday, with the medical expected to take place Monday....