Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Jack Eichel failed his physical at Buffalo Sabres training camp and has been stripped of his captaincy, as the team and its franchise player remain at an impasse over surgery options. Eichel, 24, has been out since March with a herniated disk in his neck. The star center and his team have battled […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Montreal Canadiens center Jonathan Drouin said he left the team last April due to insomnia caused by his anxiety. Drouin, 26, told TSN/RDS in an interview Monday that he’s been dealing with the issue for many years, and his breaking point came during a road trip last season. The Canadiens played two games […]

Not long ago, Avalanche prospect Justus Annunen was considered the club’s goaltender of the future. He still might be but the 6-foot-4 Finnish native needs to bounce back from a  poor 2020-21 season and remind Avs’ management how good he can be. Annunen, 21, was the third goalie selected in the 2018 NHL draft, going to Colorado in the third […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. CHICAGO — Since they entered the NHL in 2005, Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals have battled each other for scoring titles, individual awards and postseason glory. But as the generational talents enter their 17th season together, Crosby said he’s rooting for his rival to make hockey […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre is out with the Columbus Blue Jackets over his decision not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen confirmed to ESPN on Monday. “Per NHL protocol, he is unable to do the job we hired him for,” said Kekalainen. Last month, the NHL sent a memo to […]

Hey, Mighty Ducks. Meet the River Rats.  “Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons From America’s Worst High School Hockey Team” by New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon tells a hockey underdog story with a different approach, and it might be getting “The Mighty Ducks” treatment after all.  What? We will get to that. In “Let Them Lead,” Bacon details his […]

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks after undergoing a procedure on his left wrist, the team announced Wednesday. The timeline for his recovery means the 34-year-old will miss the start of training camp. “This is not a new injury for Sid. It is something that he has played through for years,” […]

Carolina tendered an offer sheet to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi on Saturday as an ongoing storyline between the Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens continued. Two years after Carolina star forward Sebastian Aho received a five-year, $42 million tender as a restricted free agent from the Canadiens, a deal that the Hurricanes matched, Montreal had the tables turned. Kotkaniemi, a sharp […]

Jimmy Hayes, who spent seven seasons in the NHL and won a national championship at Boston College, died unexpectedly Monday. He was 31. Hayes was pronounced dead at his Massachusetts home, The Boston Globe reported, citing a law enforcement official. The cause of death was not immediately available. Hayes, who grew up in the Boston suburb of Dorchester, leaves his […]

Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes has died.  According to the Boston Globe, law enforcement and first responders were called to his home in Milton, Mass., on Monday morning. The cause of death is unknown at this time, but it is not considered suspicious. A native of Dorchester, Mass., Hayes was 31 years old.  “Former NHL player Jimmy Hayes has died. 31 years old. I […]