The Edmonton Oilers have granted Evander Kane permission to speak with other teams before the NHL’s free agency period opens and Colorado’s Nicolas Aube-Kubel went from celebrating with the Stanley Cup on Saturday to not receiving a qualifying offer from the Avalanche on Monday.
Kane signed with Edmonton in January after the San Jose Sharks terminated the remainder of his seven-year, $49 million US contract for violating COVID-19 protocols while in the American Hockey League. Kane has challenged the Sharks’ decision by filing a grievance through the NHL Players’ Association.
Earlier last season, he was suspended by San Jose for 21 games for submitting a fake vaccine card.
In Colorado, the defending champion Avalanche informed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel he will not receive a qualifying offer and will become a free agent when the market opens, a person with knowledge of the decision told The AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced its decisions.
Avalanche promote Sakic
The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche have promoted Joe Sakic to the role of president of hockey operations.
Sakic was the architect behind a team that captured its first title since 2001. The Hall of Fame forward-turned-front office executive was recently honored as the general manager of the year.
The team also announced Monday that assistant GM Chris MacFarland will now serve as the GM.
It was another title for Sakic, who was the captain of the Avalanche when they hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001. He became the first in NHL history to win as a captain and GM with the same organization.
In Sakic fashion, though, he deflected praise.
“It’s a team award. We’ve got a great staff: Chris MacFarland is huge on this,” Sakic said at the NHL draft in Montreal last week. “We do everything together. It’s our scouts, every one of them — pro, amateur. But it’s the team, the players. They were so committed this year and the coaching staff. To me, it’s not an individual award. It’s an organizational award.”
Colorado finished with a combined 72 wins through the playoffs and regular season. That ties the league record set by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens and matched by the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers and 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings.
Sakic retired from the Avalanche as a player in July 2009. He was hired as an executive advisor/alternate governor by the team in March 2011. This was his ninth season as the team’s executive vice president/GM.
The Avalanche have quite a few free agents on their roster, including forwards Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky and Valeri Nichushkin. There’s also defencemen such as Josh Manson and Jack Johnson.
They have a strong nucleus with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen and captain Gabriel Landeskog.
Derek King stays with Chicago as assistant coach
Derek King is staying with Chicago as an assistant coach on Luke Richardson’s staff.
King finished last season as Chicago’s interim coach after Jeremy Colliton was fired on Nov. 6. He was in the mix for the full-time job, but Richardson was hired last month.
Kevin Dean also was hired as an assistant on Monday. Dean, 53, was an assistant with the Boston Bruins for the previous five seasons. Dean was an NHL defenceman for seven seasons, finishing his playing career with 96 games with Chicago.
Goaltending coach Jimmy Waite and video coach Matt Meacham also are returning to Chicago’s staff.
“It’s great to have this experienced staff with me behind the bench,” Richardson said in a release. “Derek has made an impact here on this organization and I’m thrilled to have someone like him on our staff. Kevin’s mind for the game and defensive focus will be an asset for us. It’s great to have the cornerstone of this coaching group finalized and we will continue to add a few pieces.”
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
