NHL Atlantic

Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault and battery on a family member, according to the Associated Press.

The Boston Globe reported police arrested Lucic on Saturday after he had allegedly gotten into an argument with his wife, Brittany.

She had called 911 and said her husband "attempted to choke her," per the police report obtained by the Globe. While she denied the allegation when asked directly by an officer, the officer "observed redness" on her chest.

Lucic's wife said the argument began when he returned home after going out and couldn't find his phone.

"The victim stated that she did not have his cell phone and did not know where it was located," police wrote in their report, per the Boston.com's Abby Patkin. "She stated that she attempted to walk away from her husband, and stated that the suspect grabbed her by her hair and pulled her backwards. She stated that in doing so, the suspect stated to her that she was not going anywhere."

Officers observed a broken lamp and what appeared to be broken glass in the bedroom of the couple's apartment.

The Bruins issued a statement in the wake of Lucic's arrest.

"The Boston Bruins are aware of the situation involving Milan Lucic Friday evening," the team said. "Milan is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The organization takes these matters very seriously, and we will work with the Lucic family to provide any support and assistance they may need. We will have no further comment at this time.

According to the AP, Lucic was released on personal recognizance Tuesday and ordered to refrain from consuming any alcohol prior to his trial. He declined to speak with reporters upon leaving the courthouse.

Lucic signed a one-year contract with the Bruins the offseason. He started his career in Boston and spent eight years there before his trade to the Los Angeles Kings in 2015.

The 35-year-old has made four appearances in 2023-24, though he hasn't stepped onto the ice since a 4-2 win over the Kings on Oct. 21 due to a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark is breaking out another new mask in celebration of the franchise's centennial season.

Ullmark will wear a mask that honors Bruins legendary goaltender and Hockey Hall of Famer Gerry Cheevers during Saturday night's game against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden.

The 30-year-old is wearing a special mask for Saturday's game as part of Boston's "Era Nights," which are spread throughout home games during the 2023-24 season as a way to honor the club's history.

Saturday's game honors the 1960-76 Bruins. Cheevers played for the Black and Gold from 1965-72 and again from 1975-80, backstopping Boston to two Stanley Cup titles (1970, 1972).

When the 2023-24 season began, Ullmark debuted a mask honoring Bobby Orr and Patrice Bergeron.

One side of the mask features Orr's famous diving overtime goal in 1970 that lifted Boston to their first Stanley Cup title in 29 years. The other side displays Bergeron's iconic overtime goal in Game 7 of the first round of the 2013 playoffs that clinched the Bruins a spot in the next round after trailing the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1.

The Bruins are currently 12-1-2 and have the best record in the Atlantic Division, which is something not many saw coming following the retirements of Bergeron and David Krejci.

Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson will serve as general manager of the U.S. men's national hockey team for the 2024 IIHF Men's World Championship, USA Hockey announced Thursday.

Peterson will be the team's first Black general manager, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Peterson also became the NHL's first Black assistant general manager when joining the Florida Panthers in 2020.

Under the direction of Peterson and GM Bill Zito, the Panthers have since appeared in three straight postseasons and the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Prior to joining the Panthers front office, Peterson served as Wasserman Media's vice president of hockey, worked as an NHLPA-certified player agent and played hockey at the AHL level.

He will now build the men's roster for the 2024 championship, which is set to take place from May 10-16 in Czechia.

Zito will also contribute to the team's roster construction. The Panthers GM is a member of the U.S. men's national team advisory group assembled to assist Peterson.

Nine other NHL general managers will be involved in building the roster, including the Buffalo Sabres' Kevyn Adams, Calgary Flames' Craig Conroy, New York Rangers' Chris Drury, New Jersey Devils' Tom Fitzgerald, San Jose Sharks' Mike Grier, Minnesota Wild's Bill Guerin, New York Islanders' Lou Lamoriello, Colorado Avalanche's Chris MacFarland and Carolina Hurricanes' Don Waddell.

This group will continue USA Hockey's quest to win gold at the men's world championship, a feat the team has not accomplished since 1933.

The men's team also hasn't won silver since 1950. Its last medal was a bronze in 2021.

Team USA made it to the semifinal in the tournament last May but blew a third-period lead to Germany and lost in overtime. The 2023 roster featured no NHL All-Star players for the first time since 2010.

Worlds will once again take place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so rosters can't include players whose teams are still active in the postseason.

John Vanbiesbrouck, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, said Peterson's "extensive knowledge of the overall player pool in our country" will help construct the roster despite that limitation.

One notable American star on Peterson and Zito's Panthers roster is Scottsdale, Arizona native Matthew Tkachuk, who previously represented the United States at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended four games for an illegal check to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.

The incident occurred during Boston's 3-2 overtime win over the Panthers on Monday night at TD Garden.

McAvoy won't be eligible to return until a Nov. 11 matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. He'll miss games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and New York Islanders.

The Bruins finished Monday's game with just four defensemen after losing Matt Grzelcyk to an upper-body injury and McAvoy to an ejection for the illegal check to the head.

In the third period, McAvoy collided with Ekman-Larsson in front of Florida's net with the puck nowhere in sight. Ekman-Larsson's head appeared to be the principal point of contact, and McAvoy was assessed a match penalty and ejected.

McAvoy had previously only been suspended once in his career. The Boston University product was suspended one game during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs for an illegal check to the head of then-Columbus Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson.

The Bruins selected McAvoy in the first round of the 2016 draft and he has become arguably the team's best defenseman. Through nine games this season, he has tallied two goals and six assists for eight points.

While the Bruins sit atop the Atlantic Division with an 8-0-1 record, losing McAvoy is a tough blow for Boston, especially if Grzelcyk also misses time with an injury.

As for potential replacements, Mason Lohrei, Ian Mitchell and Parker Wotherspoon could be getting called up. The trio didn't travel with Boston's AHL affiliate for a matchup with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, per Mark Divver of New England Hockey Journal.

The Bruins will return to action on Thursday against the Maple Leafs.

"Jumbo Joe" is officially hanging up the skates.

Former San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers forward Joe Thornton announced his retirement from the NHL after 24 seasons on Saturday.

The news comes after Thornton told reporters in May 2022 following the Panthers' second-round playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning that he was undecided on whether to return for another season.

"My wife was kind of asking me last night," Thornton said at the time. "And really, I have no plans. It's kind of exciting that way. I came here to win a championship, and we fell short of that. But I think the Florida Panthers are going to be good for a long time. It's exciting around here now."

Thornton did not play the 2022-23 season and was not on an NHL roster to begin the 2023-24 campaign.

Despite never winning a Stanley Cup, Thornton had a legendary NHL career worth a nod in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1,714 games with the Panthers, Sharks, Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, he tallied 430 goals.

His 1,714 regular-season games played ranks sixth in NHL history, and his 1,109 assists are good for seventh. In addition, his 1,539 points puts him 12th in league history.

Thornton also appeared in 187 playoff games, tallying 32 goals and 102 assists for 134 points. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals as a member of the Sharks during the 2015-16 season, but the team fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

Thornton is also a four-time All-Star, and won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy in 2005-06 after tallying 29 goals and 96 assists in 81 games for the Bruins and Sharks.

With Thornton and Zdeno Chara now in retirement, Mark Giordano, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Andre Fleury are the oldest active players in the league.

Unsigned Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto is being suspended 41 games by the NHL for violating the league's gambling policy, the league announced Thursday.

"The National Hockey League announced today that it has suspended NHL Player Shane Pinto for 41 games for activities relating to sports wagering," the league said in a statement. "The League's investigation found no evidence that Pinto made any wagers on NHL games.

"The NHL considers this matter closed, absent the emergence of new information, and will have no further comment."

The Senators said in a statement:

We were made aware of the National Hockey League investigation into this matter and additional information was made available to the club upon the completion of the league's investigation yesterday.

Shane is a valued member of our hockey club; an engaging, intelligent young man who made poor decisions that have resulted in a suspension by the National Hockey League. We know he is remorseful for his mistakes.

The Ottawa Senators fully support the NHL's rules on gambling. While saddened to learn of this issue, the entire organization remains committed to Shane and will work together to do what is necessary to help provide the support to allow him to address his issues and become a strong contributor to our community.

When the time is right and with the league's blessing, we will welcome him back to the organization and embrace him as one of our own.

"I want to apologize to the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators, my teammates, the fans and city of Ottawa and most importantly my family," Pinto added in a statement. "I take full responsibility for my actions and look forward to getting back on the ice with my team."

The NHL began an investigation into Pinto over the summer, and it's believed the probe "intensified over the past few weeks," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Pinto's suspension started with Ottawa's season-opener and is not dependent on him signing a contract, according to Friedman. He is the first player in league history to be suspended for sports gambling.

The league sent a memo to teams and players in March 2022 reminding them that placing wagers on NHL games is "absolutely prohibited" and will "constitute conduct that is dishonourable, prejudicial to, or against the welfare of the League or the game of hockey" per Friedman.

The memo added that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was authorized to "discipline individuals determined to have engaged in improper gambling activities," including expulsion, suspension, cancelling a contract or imposing a fine.

"The League will act swiftly and aggressively in penalizing any League or Club personnel determined to have engaged in acts in violation of the NHL Gambling Policy," the policy says.

The Senators selected Pinto in the second round of the 2019 draft, and he made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season. He played his first full season in the league during the 2022-23 campaign, tallying 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points in 82 games.

The 22-year-old's three-year, $3.975 million entry-level contract was up after the 2022-23 campaign. He is designated as a 10.2(c) player and the Senators hold his signing rights, meaning he can only negotiate a contract with Ottawa.

Pinto has not requested a trade from the Senators, and Friedman wrote that it's believed he hasn't requested a move because "he appreciates the organization's secrecy about the investigation" into his gambling violations.

The next landing spot for star forward Patrick Kane is still to be determined but it appears that a homecoming, a return to a strong team and a move to a former rival all appear to be on the table.

The winger is still a free agent and was projected to miss "four-to-six months" after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in the offseason. He remains highly sought after, especially for a playoff push, and Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff reported that the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers are contenders to sign Kane.

Seravalli wrote that the Rangers are "paying attention to Kane, while adding the star has also been "keeping an eye on" the Red Wings.

The 34-year-old remains a dominant force in the league. He has scored 451 goals and 1,237 points across his 16-season career, earning four All-Star selections, the 2015-16 Hart Trophy and helping the Chicago Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups.

He scored 21 goals and have 57 points in 73 games between Chicago and the Rangers in 2022-23 and a return to the Big Apple would certainly be appealing if the goal is to win another Stanley Cup. New York won 47 games in 2022-23 and look like a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.

The issue with a return to the Rangers comes with the salary cap as the team has just just $675,085 in salary cap space. While that may be enough to get Kane to agree to a one-year deal and set himself up for a healthy free-agency period next summer, the Rangers are not the best option when it comes to long-term stability.

The Red Wings are an up-and-coming team that is looking to take a step forward in 2023-24. The team has not qualified for the postseason since 2016, which ended the legendary 25-season playoff streak. Detroit has been building, and a dynamic playmaker like Kane could help the young core break through in the loaded Atlantic Division, even if it is nightmare fuel for Blackhawk fans.

Finally, the Sabres may be the most intriguing option. Kane is a Buffalo native, so potentially ending his career playing in front of his hometown crowd may be something of interest to him. The Sabres possess the longest postseason drought (12 seasons) in the NHL, but they do have a young core developing and are also a contender to make noise in the Atlantic.

Wherever Kane ends up, it will likely at least be a team that is in postseason contention, and he certainly could provide a late season offensive spark.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews is off to a hot start this season, and one lucky fan received his game-used stick following Saturday's 7-4 win over the Minnesota Wild.

After the game, Matthews, who is of Mexican heritage, noticed a young fan in the Scotiabank Arena stands holding a sign that read, "Mexican roots. Leafs. Go Auston!" He made it a point to get him his stick after the win:

Matthews scored his second straight hat trick of the 2023-24 season during Saturday's game. He opened the year with three goals in a win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.

The Maple Leafs selected Matthews first overall in the 2016 draft and he has emerged as one of the best players in the NHL. He is a two-time All-Star, two-time Rocket Richard winner and the 2021-22 Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP.

Matthews became the first player of Mexican heritage to ever win the Hart Trophy.

The 26-year-old has appeared in 483 games for Toronto across eight seasons, notching 305 goals and 243 assists for 548 points.

Matthews, who was born in San Ramon, California, grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. His mother, Ema Matthews, is originally from Hermosillo, Mexico.

Given his Mexican roots, the Maple Leafs could be among the top candidates to appear in a future NHL Global Series game in Mexico City.

NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said on ESPN's The Drop podcast this week (h/t ESPN's Greg Wyshynski) that the league is considering Mexico City as a future location for international matchups.

Matthews said in 2021 that it would be "awesome to literally play a hockey game in Mexico and just see what happens."

Matthews and the Maple Leafs will be back in action against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Shane Pinto continues to be the talk of the Ottawa Senators as the start of the 2023-24 NHL season draws near, thanks in large part to a lack of a new contract for the restricted free agent and very real questions about the team's ability to give him what he wants.

Dave Pagnotta told NHL Network Radio that the Senators have approximately $1.7 million in salary cap space but Pinto has been consistently looking for $2.5, meaning one of two things: either Pinto signs for less than he wants or the team will have to make a roster move or two to free up the money necessary to ensure the depth of their roster at the center position.

With Josh Norris fighting an injury that will keep him out of Wednesday's opener against Carolina, per Ian Mendes of The Athletic, Pinto's value to the team would appear to be higher than it has been.

Given the fact that he is a a young center at just 22 years of age, with plenty of upside and potential, said value was already high to begin with. That he knows the system and could benefit the team without Norris available only makes him more so.

That does not mean the team is not willing to listen to offers for the young player.

While insider Elliott Friedman does not believe Pinto will be dealt, he admitted on the 32 Thoughts podcast that he would not be surprised if the Islanders express interest. "But it wouldn't surprise me if the Islanders were one of the teams kicking the tires there. That's where he's from, they'd like that," (h/t Michael Stahurski of Eyes on Islanders for the transcription).

The Islanders realistically have nothing of value to offer the Senators outside of draft picks and giving those up for a player who has shown flashes of stardom but not enough to justify mortgaging the long-term future of the organization would be a mistake, no matter how close he grew up to the team's stadium.

Friedman went on to suggest that the Senators and Pinto have both given a bit and are not willing to give any more, despite being relatively close on a deal, resulting in the standstill the sides find themselves in right now.

With the uncertainty surrounding Norris, and the potential Pinto has shown as a raw, net-attacking center, it is time for the sides to work out their differences. The Senators must show good faith, find a way to make the numbers work, and bring Pinto back into the fold.

Simply put, the Senators have not been nearly good enough to warrant playing hardball and can use all the help they can get in pursuit of their first postseason appearance since 2017. If they lose out on Pinto, and he goes on to be a star for another organization because of a dispute over $800,000, the team will have no one to blame but itself.

The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to an eight-year contract extension, the team announced on Monday.

The average annual value of the deal is $11 million, and it begins at the start of the 2024-25 season.

"I love the city. I love the team. I love everything," Dahlin said.

The 23-year-old finished with a career-high 73 points in 78 games last season, helping the Sabres finish with a record of 42-33-7.

This deal makes Dahlin the second-highest paid defenseman in the NHL, putting him in a tie with L.A. Kings blueliner Drew Doughty.

Sabres captain Kyle Okposo praised Dahlin's tenacity.

"He's so competitive," Okposo said, via the team's official website. "That's probably his best leadership quality, how competitive he is. He just wants to win all the time. He wants to be the best. He wants to be on the ice in every situation. He's been incredible."

Dahlin has been with Buffalo for the past five seasons after he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

He's recorded 233 points in 355 career games. Last season was his best year, being named an All-Star as an injury replacement for Tage Thompson and finishing eighth in the James Norris Memorial Trophy voting.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams was enthusiastic about the move (via Jourdon LaBarber of sabres.com).

"This is a really exciting day for us. ...We have a player in his prime years that's committing to this organization for the max term that you can," Adams said. "We have a player in Rasmus Dahlin that we think will continue to get better for at least the next 9 years."

The Sabres host the New York Rangers to begin their season on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.