NHL Pacific

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol Tuesday.

Marchand joins Bruins forward Craig Smith in protocols.

The Bruins are set to host the Las Vegas Golden Knights later Tuesday night. Marchand's and Smith's placement in the protocols comes three days after Boston visited the Calgary Flames, who had six players and a staff member placed in protocols Monday. The NHL postponed Calgary's next three games. 

A player must sit out 10 days or provide two negative tests 24 hours apart in order to be cleared for a return to game action.

Marchand has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 21 games this season. 

The Vancouver Canucks have reportedly fired head coach Travis Green and are replacing him with Bruce Boudreau, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The news comes following the Canucks' 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, which dropped them to 8-15-2 on the season, last place in the Pacific Division.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Green's firing may not be the only move coming in Vancouver as the Canucks are reportedly likely to undergo more "significant changes."

The Athletic's Rick Dhaliwal later reported general manager Jim Benning and assistant general manager John Weisbrod had also been fired. 

Things have undoubtedly taken a turn for the worse in Vancouver. During Sunday's loss to the Penguins, Canucks fans were chanting for Benning to be fired. One fan even tossed a jersey onto the ice in disgust with 1.6 seconds remaining in the third period.

Green coached Vancouver's AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, for four years before being hired to replace Willie Desjardins as head coach of the Canucks after the 2017 campaign. The 50-year-old went 133-147-34 in a little more than four-and-a-quarter seasons behind the bench and led the Canucks to just one postseason appearance during the 2019-20 campaign.

Vancouver followed up that season with a disappointing last-place finish in the NHL's all-Canadian division during the 2020-21 season with a 23-29-4 record. The Canucks have made the playoffs just twice in the last eight seasons, and the team has been particularly disappointing since falling to the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

Boudreau last coached for the Minnesota Wild during the 2019-20 season, going 27-23-7 before being fired ahead of the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign. In his four seasons as head coach of the Wild, he compiled a 158-110-35 record.

The 66-year-old also coached the Washington Capitals from 2007-08 to 2011-12, compiling a 201-88-40 record, before coaching the Anaheim Ducks from 2011-12 to 2015-16, compiling a 208-104-40 record.

In his 14 seasons as a head coach, Boudreau compiled a 567-302-115 record and won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best coach during the 2007-08 campaign. His teams have finished first within their respective divisions in eight of his 14 seasons and have made the postseason in 10 of those years.

Anna Kane, the estranged wife of San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane, has released a video allegedly showing him pointing a gun at her. 

Per TMZ Sports, Anna Kane posted the video on her social media page with the caption "pointing a loaded gun at me."

The video is allegedly of Evander Kane walking through a garage and pointing a gun in various directions before the footage stops. 

In a statement to TMZ Sports, the winger's attorneys addressed the video: 

She posted videos, taken intentionally out of context, from a professional photo shoot both parties participated in back in 2020. Her conduct, unfortunately, is consistent with her prior actions throughout this [divorce] case. Each time, we hope it will be the last. Each time, we strive to keep the peace and put the best foot forward. Each time, Evander is exonerated and Ms. Kane's allegations are unsubstantiated.

In September, A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports reported that Anna Kane accused her estranged husband of sexual assault and domestic battery in a domestic violence restraining order application filed as part of her divorce case. 

Travis Krepelka, Evander Kane's attorney, denied the accusation on behalf of his client in a statement provided to Perez. 

"To be clear, Evander denies ever abusing Ms. Kane or their daughter Kensington, whom he cherishes," Krepelka's said in the statement. "He recognizes that they have many years ahead of them as co-parents, during which they will have to work together, which makes it that much more frustrating that she has chosen this path."

Evander obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Anna in August after saying she punched him in the face multiple times in the past, per TMZ Sports. 

Both domestic violence restraining order filings were dropped in October to move forward with other issues over their pending divorce. 

Kane recently finished a 21-game suspension he received from the NHL for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols. Perez reported in October the 30-year-old allegedly submitted a fake vaccine card to the NHL. 

The San Jose Sharks announced on Sunday, the final day of his suspension, that Kane was placed on waivers. He cleared waivers the next day and was reassigned to the Barracuda, San Jose's AHL affiliate.    

San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane wasn't too concerned about the NHL's investigation into allegations he bet on games.

Kane said Tuesday he "didn't lose any sleep over it," per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski:

It was definitely not great to be associated with that at the time. But they investigated me heavily, interviewed a bunch of different people and found what they found, which is nothing. Anybody who's played with me or coached me knows how competitive I am, so that would probably be the last thing that anyone would suspect.

Kane's estranged wife, Anna, said this summer he had gambled on NHL games and threw games based on bets he had made.

The 30-year-old filed for bankruptcy in January and said that he had lost $1.5 million from gambling within the preceding 12 months. The Cosmopolitan, a resort hotel and casino in Las Vegas, filed a $500,000 lawsuit against him over unpaid debts he incurred.

The NHL looked into Anna Kane's allegations and determined there was "no evidence to corroborate Ms. Kane's accusations that Mr. Kane bet or otherwise participated in gambling on NHL games." In addition, the league said what it discovered "raises doubts about the veracity of the allegations."

Perez reported in September that Anna Kane also accused Evander Kane of sexual assault and domestic battery in a court filing. Through his attorney, he denied the allegations. The league investigated those allegations as well and said they "could not be substantiated."

He also received a 21-game suspension for violating the NHL's COVID-19 protocols. A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports reported the veteran goalscorer submitted a fake vaccination card. Of the violation, Kane said Tuesday, "I served my time, did my 21 games, and now I'm back," noting that he is now fully vaccinated.

Kane has yet to appear in a game for the Sharks this season and the team placed him on waivers. No team claimed him and his $7 million salary this season, so he reported to the AHL's San Jose Barracuda.

The San Jose Sharks are going to waive Evander Kane with the hope of assigning him to their AHL affiliate. 

Sharks assistant general manager Joe Will told reporters on Sunday that Kane will begin practicing with the San Jose Barracuda this week, assuming he clears waivers. 

Kane's agent, Dan Milstein, issued a statement on Twitter about the Sharks' decision:

Kane has yet to appear in a game for the Sharks this season. 

In October, A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports reported the NHL opened an investigation into allegations that Kane violated the league's COVID-19 protocols by obtaining "a fake vaccination card he allegedly submitted."

The NHL announced on Oct. 18 that Kane has been suspended 21 games without pay for an "established violation" of the NHL and NHL Players Association's COVID protocols. 

Kane issued a statement that was included in the league's announcement:

I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization, and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols. I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for. During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future. When my suspension is over, I plan to return to the ice with great effort, determination, and love for the game of hockey.

In August, TMZ Sports reported Kane obtained a temporary restraining order against his estranged wife, Anna, amid allegations she physically abused him. 

Anna Kane filed a restraining order application in September, alleging Evander had a "history of domestic violence" against her. Both of them dropped their domestic violence restraining orders against the other last month as they move forward with other pending issues related to their divorce, per Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group. 

Kane has played three full seasons with the Sharks after they acquired him in February 2018 prior to the trade deadline in a deal with the Buffalo Sabres. 

The 30-year-old has appeared in 212 regular-season games with San Jose. His suspension to start this season is set to end after Sunday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.    

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel underwent disk replacement surgery on Friday and is expected to make a full recovery, the team announced.

The Golden Knights said the surgery was successful and they will provide additional details on Eichel's timetable to return "when appropriate."

ESPN's Greg Wyshynski reported Thursday that Eichel was expected to have surgery at the Rocky Mountain Spine Clinic and would remain in Denver for three weeks for observation before doing most of his rehab in Vegas.

Wyshynski adds that Eichel's expected recovery timeline is three months, which would mean he could return as soon as mid-February. 

Eichel, who was traded to Vegas from the Buffalo Sabres last week, thanked the Golden Knights on Monday for allowing him to undergo the procedure that caused a rift between himself and his former team. The Sabres wanted Eichel to undergo neck fusion surgery, while the star forward wanted the disk replacement procedure. 

The 25-year-old added that he hopes the NHL and NHLPA will reconsider their regulations on allowing teams to have full control over a player's medical treatment, per Sportsnet.

"I think my situation shined light on maybe some things that could be changed, and I hope that they are in the future," Eichel said. "I don't necessarily agree with the team having the full say in what to do with medical treatment. I think it should be a collaboration."

Eichel was introduced as a Golden Knight for the first time before Tuesday's game against the Seattle Kraken at T-Mobile Arena. He is expected to serve as the team's top center when he returns from injury. 

The Boston University product spent six seasons with the Sabres after being drafted second overall in 2015. However, he has not played since March 7 because of his neck injury. 

Eichel signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension with Buffalo before the 2017-18 season. He won't become a free agent until after the 2025-26 campaign.  

Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray resigned Wednesday and will enter an alcohol treatment program amid an investigation into alleged misconduct.

"I want to apologize to anyone adversely affected by my behavior," Murray said in a statement. "I vow to make changes to my life, starting with enrolling in a treatment program. I want to thank Henry and Susan Samueli, and Michael Schulman, as working for them has been one of the highlights of my career. As I step away from the Ducks, I will focus my attention on where it should be: improving my life for the betterment of my family and friends."

Jeff Solomon will serve as the club's interim general manager. The Ducks placed Murray on leave Tuesday after hiring an independent firm to investigate allegations of misconduct.

The NHL released a statement saying it supports Murray's decision to resign and "there is no excuse and there is no place" for his behavior, which was reported to the league's hotline. Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli said they would "not stand for abuse of any kind" in their organization.

Murray had been with the team since 2005.

No details were provided on the allegations. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN reported Murray has been accused of verbal abuse against staff and cultivating an "abusive culture."

There was no timetable for the investigation's completion.

The NHL is currently dealing with the fallout of an independent investigation that found the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled sexual assault allegations made by former forward Kyle Beach against former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

The Blackhawks were fined $2 million in the aftermath of the investigation, and president Stan Bowman and director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac announced their resignations. Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville, who was the coach of the Blackhawks during the 2009-10 season, also announced his resignation.

The Anaheim Ducks placed general manager Bob Murray on administrative leave as the team investigates allegations of improper conduct.

"We recently became aware of accusations of improper professional conduct against Bob Murray," the team said Tuesday in a statement. "After internal review, we enlisted Shephard Mullin to perform an independent investigation. Upon recommendation from their initial findings, we have decided to place Bob on administrative leave pending final results. In the interim, Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager Jeff Solomon will assume the role of Interim General Manager. We will have no further comment until the investigation is complete."

No details on the allegations were given.

The NHL is currently enveloped in controversy after an independent investigation found that the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled former player Kyle Beach's sexual assault allegations against former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million, and president Stan Bowman and director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac both resigned. The fallout also included the resignation of Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville, who was the coach of the Blackhawks during the 2009-10 season.

Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville were all part of a meeting in 2010 to discuss the allegations, after which nothing was done for three weeks.

Murray has been with the Ducks organization since 2005. He has been the team's general manager since 2008.

It's nothing personal. It's just business.

The Buffalo Sabres have been trying to peddle that narrative all summer with regard to star center Jack Eichel. The player who was supposed to get them over the rebuilding hump languished on bad Buffalo teams for six seasons, with the final being shortened not just by the COVID-19 pandemic but also a herniated disk in his neck.

The Sabres wanted him to have a surgery standard for NHL players, a disk fusion. Eichel and his representatives sought other opinions and decided on a different course, an artificial disk replacement surgery.

The NHL's collective bargaining agreement gives the team the authority to make the decision for the player, yet Buffalo allowed the situation devolved into an ugly spectacle, which is why it's difficult to believe that this stalemate was not, in fact, personal.

If it wasn't personal, then why are the Vegas Golden Knights, who acquired him Thursday, allowing him to have artificial disk replacement surgery? Why did the Sabres strip him of his captaincy? Why did this drag into the start of the 2021-22 season?

Buffalo might have been understandably hesitant about allowing the most important player in the lineup to have a procedure that has never been performed on an active NHL player before, but the two sides were never going to come to any sort of agreement. 

The Golden Knights pushed in all their chips to acquire the center, sending injured forward Alex Tuch (shoulder), 2019 first-round draft pick Peyton Krebs and conditional draft picks in 2022 and 2023 to the Sabres for the game-breaking center and a 2023 third-round pick.

"Why wouldn't his people want what's best for him?" Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a video press conference following the trade announcement. "None of us in this room have the level of expertise that would be required for an opinion. I defer to the people that he's entrusted himself and his health to, to make that decision and will obviously have a hand in next steps, rehabilitation, return to play, you know, those types of things.

"But the decision of the surgery is one that we respectfully defer to Jack and his representatives."

McCrimmon acknowledged this is a new procedure for the NHL, but it's not a new surgery for athletes in contact sports. Dr. Chad Prusmack on Elliotte Friedman's 31 Thoughts podcast said Eichel could be in line to play within six to 12 weeks after having surgery.

It's a procedure that mixed martial arts fighters and rugby players have had. McCrimmon, in making a business decision to send a key member of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final team and a top prospect to Buffalo, took a more personal approach to Eichel.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams, in his own video conference, had some empty platitudes about caring for Eichel as a person, but that stands in stark contrast to how the organization has handled Eichel's health over the past six months.

The winner in this is Eichel himself. Not because he's going to a winning team—although that is a check in the victory column as well—but because he gets to have his preferred procedure and get rid of the pain he has endured since early March when the injury occurred in a game against the New York Rangers.

"Vegas baby, Vegas," he tweeted to his 28,000 followers after the deal.

This ends a very bitter, very public dispute between a player who once signified hope for a beleaguered Buffalo franchise and the organization that drafted him with the second pick in 2015. The Sabres will continue their rebuild and do so with a top-six winger in Tuch and a burgeoning playmaking center in Krebs, Eichel's replacement up the middle.

The Sabres weren't willing to budge on what they wanted in return, and Adams said retaining some of Eichel's $10 million salary was a non-starter given the length of the pact (Eichel is under contract through 2025-26). He didn't see cap space as something he could weaponize. Adams wanted picks, prospects and an established NHL player.

"What I can tell you is, we got to a point where this was the offer that we felt was the strongest that we had up to this date, and we felt very good about it," Adams said. "We worked extremely hard for months and months. And we were not going to compromise on what we felt we needed as a return. This was a really important decision for us. So however long it was going to take, it was going to take."

Now the attention turns to Vegas, a team with Stanley Cup aspirations in a tenuous spot. Putting Eichel on a line between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty might give the Golden Knights one of the best lines in the NHL. No offense to the Perfection Line in Boston, but David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron would have some competition if this line comes together.

However, Stone and Pacioretty are also on long-term injured reserve with lower-body injuries. The timeline for Eichel is somewhat unknown. McCrimmon said he is still unsure of when Eichel might be ready to play again, with an optimistic estimate of three to four months and a conservative estimate of four to five.

McCrimmon said Eichel has been training on the ice with no contact, so post-surgery he could be cleared to get back on the ice in six to eight weeks with no contact and able to skate with contact around week 12.

"It's really challenging to give you a time frame because it's never been done in this sport," McCrimmon said. "I'm told that Jack has been able to be quite active in terms of training while he's injured, even being on the ice. It's contact that he would not be cleared to endure.

"I keep thinking four to five months, three to four months. We don't know. We really don't know, and I'm not trying to suggest that we do know, but that might be the best guess I can give you right now."

The Golden Knights have to get to the playoffs without their top players. So far, that looks like it will be a struggle. They're 4-5-0 to open the season and second-to-last in the Pacific Division.

While Vegas is confident Eichel will return to full form, McCrimmon acknowledged this put the team in a tough position against the cap and that some of these injured players might not be what they once were.

"It's an ongoing dance that capologists around the National Hockey League have to be adept at," he said. "As we speak, we've got in excess of $30 million that's either on long-term injury or eligible to be on long-term injury. That takes any immediate pressure off of our salary cap.

"You do have to ask yourself what happens if we return to full health, and yet sometimes you never return to full health."

If the Golden Knights do not, in fact, return to full health, then the fall could be hard. They have traded all four of the players they've selected in the first round. They have made big-money acquisitions, such as signing Alex Pietrangelo. And while this gives them one of the best teams in the NHL on paper, the farm system that was built from the ground up has been decimated.

McCrimmon put Eichel in the same category as Pietrangelo, a player Vegas signed for his Stanley Cup-caliber leadership. Eichel has never participated in a playoff game but is regarded as one of the league's elite centers. So if this works, it will be worth it.

"We weren't in the market elsewhere for centers. This was interest that was solely determined by the quality of the player that was available," McCrimmon said. "I believe if you look at Stanley Cup champions, an elite center is certainly a big, big part of that."

As with all things Las Vegas, it isn't personal—it's a gamble.