Cale Makar is 23 years old, but if the highlight-reel Avalanche defenseman can play until he’s 40, his career might end as heralded as Ray Bourque’s. Bourque, who helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2001, has an NHL-record 410 goals for a defenseman. He averaged 0.25 goals per game over his sensational 1,612-game career. Makar entered Saturday averaging 0.54 […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Tuukka Rask has signed a professional tryout contract with the AHL Providence Bruins, the first major step in the star goaltender’s comeback with the Boston Bruins. Rask, 34, is an unrestricted free agent who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip in late July. He is expected to start […]

Edmonton Oilers star forward Connor McDavid has tested positive for COVID-19, coach Dave Tippett announced after practice Tuesday. Forward Derek Ryan also tested positive, and neither participated in practice, with Tippett telling reporters that the two were scheduled for another test later Tuesday and the struggling team will just have to “see where they’re at.” The Oilers have returned from […]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the IIHF to cancel the rest of the 2022 World Junior Championship. The 10-team tournament that features the world’s best hockey players under the age of 20 began on Dec. 26. However, the competition dealt with numerous COVID concerns that ultimately led the IIHF to cancel the tournament, it announced on Wednesday. “Together with the teams, […]

After securing a 3-2 win over Slovakia to open the 2022 World Juniors, Team USA’s momentum was stopped abruptly on Tuesday when its game against Switzerland was canceled because of positive COVID-19 tests. The Americans had nine different players register points in the win against Slovakia on Sunday, but after two American players tested positive, the team entered a mandatory quarantine, […]

After a wild opening victory against Czechia, Team Canada will look to keep the momentum going against Austria at the 2022 World Junior Championships while also making a couple of tweaks to the lineup. Xavier Bourgault suffered an injury in Sunday’s win and will not play for the Canadians on Tuesday. In turn, Canada will run with 12 forwards and eight blueliners, and […]

The Avalanche returned from its COVID shutdown on Sunday with just 15 skaters and goalie Darcy Kuemper practicing at Ball Arena, along with the entire coaching staff. The team announced it had 11 players test positive since Dec. 16, and forwards Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Logan O’Connor and defenseman Kurtis MacDermid and goalie Pavel Francouz are currently on the COVID […]

Sporting News is teaming up with FCHockey all season long to bring you the most in-depth NHL draft coverage you’ll find anywhere. With big boards, mock drafts, scouting reports, and more, we’ll keep you updated on all of the latest intel powered by FCHockey’s draft analysts and insiders. The World Junior Championship is one of the most exciting events on the hockey calendar. As […]

It is December, which can mean only one thing: the IIHF World Junior Championship is here. The world’s best under-20 hockey players will hit the ice in a battle for supremacy and bragging rights. The defending champion United States is aiming for the nation’s first-ever back-to-back titles. But don’t expect this to be a cakewalk for the Americans. Canada is once again playing […]

Similar to the NBA and NFL, the NHL is dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak of its own as the omicron variant begins to take a larger hold. As of Dec. 18, more than 60 players are in the league’s COVID protocols and five teams — the Bruins, Predators, Flames, Panthers and Avalanche — are on pause through the league’s upcoming […]