NHL Pacific

Olympic gold medalist Sarah Nurse and Anaheim Ducks breakout star Trevor Zegras are the cover athletes for NHL 23.

EA Sports made the cover announcement today, with a full reveal coming Thursday:

Drafted No. 9 overall by the Ducks in 2019, Zegras made his NHL debut in the second half of the 2020-21 season. He showed tremendous potential with 13 points in 24 games.

After making Anaheim's opening-night roster for the 2021-22 campaign, Zegras established himself as the face of the franchise. The 21-year-old led the team with 38 assists and ranked second with 23 goals and 61 points in 75 games.

Zegras was named to the All-Rookie team and finished second to Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider in Calder Trophy voting.

Nurse had a historic performance for the Canadian women's national team at the Beijing Olympics. Her 18 points and 13 assists were the most in a single women's tournament.

With Canada's 3-2 win over the United States in the final, Nurse became the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in ice hockey.

NHL 23 will mark the first time since 2003 that EA Sports will feature multiple cover athletes. This will be the 32nd installment in the long-running franchise that dates back to 1991.

A release date is expected to be announced during the full reveal of the game on Thursday. It will be released on the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series S.

Former Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg is signing a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks that is expected to be worth around $7 million, according to The Athletic's Eric Stephens and ESPN's Kevin Weekes.

The news comes after Klingberg parted ways with his longtime agent, Peter Wallen, earlier this week. He is now represented by Newport Sports Management.

Klingberg, arguably the top defenseman available this summer, had been testing the free agent market since it opened on July 13. The Athletic's Saad Yousuf suggested last week that the market wasn't what Klingberg and his camp were expecting.

That said, it's no surprise Klingberg agreed to a one-year contract with the Ducks. He'll now have the opportunity to re-enter free agency next summer in hopes of signing a larger, long-term deal.

Klingberg had spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Stars, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL draft. He burst onto the scene in 2014-15 and was named to the All-Rookie Team after notching 11 goals and 29 assists in 65 games.

In 552 games in Dallas, the 29-year-old tallied 71 goals and 303 assists. He also had a decent 2021-22 campaign, notching six goals and 41 assists in 74 games.

It's unclear how the Stars plan to replace Klingberg this summer.

Ryan Suter and Miro Heiskanen figure to be Dallas' top-pairing defensemen in 2022-23, but things get a little dicey beyond the duo with Esa Lindell, Jani Hakanpaa, Thomas Harley and Colin Miller expected to fill out the remainder of the defense.

The Stars are projected to have $11.5 million in cap space, per CapFriendly. Some defensemen still available include P.K. Subban, Calvin de Haan, Michal Kempny, Ryan Murray, Dean Kukan, Keith Yandle and Jack Johnson.

However, none of those players are likely to make up for the loss of Klingberg.

As for Anaheim, the Ducks will have an impressive defensive unit in 2022-23. In addition to Klingberg, the franchise also boasts a group of blue liners that includes Cam Fowler, Jamie Drysdale, Urho Vaakanainen, Kevin Shattenkirk, Simon Benoit and Josh Mahura.

Before signing Klingberg, the Ducks were projected to have nearly $26 million in cap space, per CapFriendly. They'll still have plenty of room to take a shot at some of the other top free agents available if they wish, including Nazem Kadri.

The Calgary Flames and Matthew Tkachuk are parting ways after six seasons as part of a blockbuster deal with the Florida Panthers.

Tkachuk was traded to the Panthers and immediately agreed to an eight-year contract extension with his new organization, the team announced Friday night.

In return, the Flames received All-Star winger Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, a lottery-protected 2025 first-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round pick.

The Flames announced Monday that they filed for club-elected arbitration with Tkachuk, which provided them "the opportunity to continue to work with his representatives towards a contractual resolution while removing the possibility of an offer sheet."

However, The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford and Hailey Salvian reported Wednesday that Tkachuk informed the team he didn't intend to sign a new deal with the club.

The St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars were among Tkachuk's preferred trade destinations along with the Panthers, per Rutherford and Salvian.

Tkachuk played out the final year of a three-year, $19 million bridge deal he signed in 2019 during the 2021-22 campaign and was a restricted free agent this offseason.

The Flames selected Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft. He has been a consistent scorer over his six-year career but took a significant leap forward during the 2021-22 season.

The 24-year-old finished with a career-high 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points in 82 games. His performance helped Calgary finish first in the Pacific Division with a 50-21-11 record.

In 431 career games in Calgary, Tkachuk notched 152 goals and 230 assists for 382 points. He'll now look to replicate that success with the Panthers.

After losing Claude Giroux in free agency to the Ottawa Senators, landing Tkachuk is huge for Florida in its pursuit of a Stanley Cup title.

There's a good chance he plays on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, but he could go on the second line with Sam Bennett and Patric Hornqvist to give the Panthers two dangerous scoring lines.

Meanwhile, the Flames deserve credit for receiving a lucrative return package despite the limited leverage because of Tkachuk's contract situation.

Huberdeau is one of the NHL's best play-driving wingers. He recorded a career-high 115 points (30 goals and 85 assists) across 80 appearances last season.

Weegar has improved his point total in each of his six NHL seasons, too. He tallied 44 points (eight goals and 36 helpers) in 80 games this past season, and there's still more offensive upside if he gets additional playing time on the power play in Calgary.

While the Flames secured other assets in Schwindt and the draft picks, the key to the trade will be re-signing Huberdeau and Weegar. They are both potential unrestricted free agents following the 2022-23 campaign.

All told, the trade sent shockwaves throughout the NHL and it could ultimately be a win-win deal for both sides if Calgary retains all the assets it received.

The San Jose Sharks are hiring David Quinn as their next head coach, according to ESPN's Kevin Weekes. His contract is for three years.

The news comes after NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that San Jose was "zeroing in" on the former New York Rangers bench boss as its next head coach. Pittsburgh's Mike Vellucci and Toronto's Spencer Carberry were finalists.

The Sharks' decision to hire Quinn should come as little surprise.

The Sharks hired Mike Grier as general manager this month, and the two share a connection having played college hockey at Boston University. Grier played for the Terriers from 1993-96, while Quinn played for the university from 1984-88.

The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun also speculated that Quinn might be hired as head coach if Grier landed the GM position.

Quinn served as head coach of the BU men's hockey team from 2013-18, guiding the team to a 105-69-21 record, two Hockey East titles and four NCAA tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2015 title game.

The 55-year-old was hired as head coach of the New York Rangers in 2018 and served in the role through 2021, posting a 96-87-25 record and leading the Blueshirts to the postseason just once in 2020.

Quinn most recently served as head coach for the United States men's hockey team at the 2022 Winter Olympics after Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan had to pull out of coaching the Games when the NHL decided to not allow players to compete amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Team USA did not make it past the quarterfinals at the Olympics, suffering a 3-2 loss to Slovakia after winning each of its three preliminary-round games against China, Canada and Germany.

Quinn will replace Bob Boughner, who coached the Sharks from 2019-22. He was fired by San Jose after going 67-85-23 in his three seasons at the helm and failing to lead the team to a postseason appearance.

Quinn was also a candidate for the Boston Bruins head coaching vacancy this summer, but the franchise hired former Dallas Stars bench boss Jim Montgomery instead.

Update: The claims against Oilers owner Daryl Katz were voluntarily withdrawn and dismissed by Dusty and Mitchell Button on August 3 after receiving credible evidence their allegations were untrue, according to the Buttons’ lawyer. The headline has been updated accordingly.

Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz has denied an allegation made in a court filing that he paid an 18-year-old woman "at least $75,000" for sex.

Katie Strang of The Athletic reported Katz is named in a counterclaim to a lawsuit filed by a group of ballerinas who say they were sexually abused by dance teacher Mitchell Taylor Button and his wife, Dusty Button.

The counterclaim filed by the Buttons included text messages between the Oilers owner and Sage Humphries, one of the women accusing them of sexual abuse.

Attorney Robert Klieger said Katz and Humphries met twice in 2016 to discuss a film project.

"Mr. Katz has never met the Buttons, and their false accusations against him are a transparent and pathetic attempt to distract attention from the abhorrent acts with which they stand charged," Klieger said in a statement.

Both Katz and Humphries' attorney Sigrid McCawley said the two were never in a sexual relationship, according to an Oilers spokesperson. McCawley provided a statement on her client's relationship with Katz and the Buttons' allegation:

"Sage had a business relationship with Mr. Katz and there was never any sexual relationship between them. As is typical of abusers facing serious litigation, with four walls of facts closing in, the Buttons have filed counterclaims that distract from and distort the truth.

"Abusers often try to weaponize the allegations brought against them, and that’s exactly what is happening here. The counterclaims the Buttons have filed falsely and recklessly implicate others, including Daryl Katz, and are a factually unfounded attempt to portray the women they abused as liars."

The text messages show Katz talking to Humphries about making payments of $50,000 and $25,000, per Strang.

It's unclear what the payments were for, beyond Katz wanting Humphries to spend the money on herself. In one message, Katz tells Humphries "even though u r wise beyond your years given our respective ages it would be taken the wrong way," per Strang.

The NHL released a statement saying it is "in the process of looking into the matter."

In a 2017 defamation suit, model and actress Greice Santo said Katz offered her money in exchange for sex during a magazine photoshoot, per CBC's Andrea Huncar. The suit said Santo made a criminal complaint about Katz to police in Hawai'i, but no charges were filed.

Katz has owned the Oilers since 2008.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article said Sage Humphries was a teenager at the time she met Daryl Katz. The article and headline have been updated to reflect that Humphries was 18 years old at the time she met Katz and to include statements from the Oilers and Humphries' attorneys.

Calgary Flames star Matthew Tkachuk has informed the team he doesn't intend to sign a new contract, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford and Hailey Salvian.

Rutherford and Salvian reported Tkachuk hasn't formally requested a trade but that one is "likely to happen soon" because of his position on a long-term deal.

The report said the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars are among his preferred destinations.

Tkachuk might be a restricted free agent, but Calgary doesn't have much recourse if he doesn't want to sign a multiyear pact.

The Flames announced Monday they filed for salary arbitration with Tkachuk. While that could result in a one-year deal, the final outcome would basically be the same. He either leaves via trade now, or he leaves later as an unrestricted free agent.

One of those scenarios is better for Calgary than the other.

Especially on the heels of Johnny Gaudreau's signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, losing Tkachuk would be a huge blow. But the circumstances of Gaudreau's departure also provide one reason to take the best trade offer for the 24-year-old.

The Flames aren't in a totally advantageous position because everybody is aware of the conundrum in front of general manager Brad Treliving. But Tkachuk is so good that he should fetch a strong return.

The Arizona native totaled 104 points (42 goals and 62 assists) in 2021-22, and his production is unlikely to slow down. He can be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

The cost to acquire Tkachuk will be high between the assets required for a trade and his next contract. But the investment should be more than worth it.