NHL Atlantic

The Buffalo Sabres selected Michigan defenseman Owen Power with the No. 1 pick in Friday's NHL entry draft. 

Owen Power is the No. 1 pick in the 2021 #NHLDraft.

Get to know the newest member of the @BuffaloSabres: https://t.co/jYqmhHUsua #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/bRYGycNY5z

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) July 24, 2021

Power entered the draft as the consensus top-ranked North American skater, according to NHL Central Scouting. The 6'6", 213-pound native of Mississauga, Ontario, posted 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 26 games for the Wolverines last season and added another three assists in 10 games for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2020-21. 

Corey Pronman of The Athletic agreed with the NHL's ranking, putting Power in the top slot of his predraft rankings in mid-June:

"Power had a great freshman season as one of the best defensemen in his conference while also one of its youngest, and played a key role for Canada in its gold medal run at the world championships. Power's offensive toolkit won't jump out immediately to you, but a 6'6" defenseman who can skate at the NHL level and move the puck well is a major asset. His skating isn't explosive, but his stride and edgework are excellent, and he can evade pressure very well. Power's offense comes from a great first pass and an ability to find seams in the offensive zone well. ... In a sentence, Power projects as a star all-situations NHL defenseman who won't land on highlight reels but will play tough minutes and drive play."

Power becomes the latest Michigan defenseman selected with a top-10 pick in recent years, following the likes of Quinn Hughes (No. 7, 2018) and Zach Werenski (No. 8, 2015). 

He's also the school's first No. 1 overall pick and the 26th alum selected in the first round. Previously, Jack Johnson was Michigan's highest draftee, going No. 3 overall in 2005, but the Carolina Hurricanes picked him before playing in Ann Arbor. Goalie Al Montoya (No. 6, 2004) is the Wolverines product who was selected the highest following his college career. 

The selection is a win for college hockey, too, as the NCAA produces its first No. 1 overall pick since the New York Islanders took goalie Rick DiPietro out of Boston University in 2000.

In June, Power said he was leaning toward a return to Michigan after the team's run to the Frozen Four was cut short by a COVID-19 outbreak ahead of the NCAA tournament. 

"I think right now I'm probably leaning more toward going back to school," Power told NHL Network (h/t  MLive.com's Ryan Zuke). "It's something I'd like to do, trying to get the true experience of playing college hockey. At the end of the day, it obviously depends on what the team wants and what everyone around me thinks is best. I don't think there's really a bad option, but I'd say I'm leaning a bit more toward going back to school right now."

With defensemen typically taking longer to develop into NHL stalwarts, the biggest factor in Power's decision may be whether or not Buffalo decides he's ready to play in the league right now or if his long-term plan includes a trip to the minor leagues.  

The Buffalo Sabres announced they've traded defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Robert Hagg, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft on Friday night and a second-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Anthony SanFilippo of CrossingBroad.com had first reported the deal. ESPN's Kevin Weekes added details about the draft picks involved in the swap.

Clubs with interest offering 1st round picks were informed earlier their pick wasn’t high enough. Picks in the top 20, hence Philly was the right fit.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 23, 2021

It's a stunning trade based on Ristolainen's long-term struggles to handle a top-pair role in Buffalo.

The No. 8 pick in the 2013 draft was thrust into a key spot in the Sabres lineup as a 19-year-old, and he hasn't proved capable of that level of responsibility across eight seasons.

Micah Blake McCurdy of HockeyViz provided a statistical breakdown of the Finn's career, which shows a negative impact both offensively and defensively:

Rasmus Ristolainen (traded to Philadelphia) is somewhat or very (mostly very) bad at every aspect of the game of ice hockey. pic.twitter.com/epVYASEHR7

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 23, 2021

It's worth noting Ristolainen, who's scored 245 points (46 goals and 199 assists) in 542 games, was miscast as a No. 1 defenseman from the start by Buffalo. It's possible he'd be more valuable lower in the lineup in five-on-five situations while being featured as a power-play quarterback.

Yet the exorbitant price paid by the Flyers suggests they're planning to use him as a high-volume part of their defense corps. That's a risky decision based on his past results and his $5.4 million cap hit for the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, Hagg, 26, has also struggled across four-plus NHL seasons, as highlighted by JFresh of EP Rinkside:

Robert Hagg, acquired by BUF, is a sub-replacement depth defenceman. #LetsGoSabres pic.twitter.com/OCuXX4KbcQ

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 23, 2021

The Swede is under a more team-friendly contract for next season ($1.6 million cap hit) and should take on a less prominent role within the Sabres defense than Ristolainen, though.

The main part of the deal for Buffalo is the draft picks, led by the 14th pick Friday that will actually be No. 13 because the Arizona Coyotes have forfeited the No. 11 selection. The Sabres also own the first overall pick, with Michigan defenseman Owen Power being the presumptive top choice.

It's part of the latest rebuilding effort by the Sabres, who own the NHL's longest playoff drought at 10 seasons. The next highest is the Detroit Red Wings at five years.

Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are among the other notable players who may be moved by Buffalo either leading up to the draft or throughout the remainder of the offseason.

The Ristolainen trade is the first concrete sign that the team's lineup will look a lot different by the time the new season kicks off in October.

Taylor Hall's brief stint with the Boston Bruins apparently wasn't enough for the left winger.

The Bruins announced they agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract.

"The Bruins are excited that Taylor wanted to remain a Boston Bruin and we are thrilled to have signed him to a multi-year contract," general manager Don Sweeney said. "He is an impact player that brings speed, scoring, skill and two-way commitment to our lineup. He fit seamlessly into our locker room and will be an integral part of our organization's goal to compete for the Stanley Cup."

This comes after an up-and-down 2020-21 campaign for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 NHL draft.

Hall signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres prior to the season, but things didn't go as planned. He scored just two goals in 37 games, the team went through an 18-game winless streak, head coach Ralph Krueger was fired and Jack Eichel missed time because of injury.

While Buffalo eventually finished in last place in the East Division, it traded Hall to the Bruins before the season ended.

The forward renewed his game during the playoff chase in Boston and tallied 14 points on eight goals and six assists in 16 regular-season games. He also had two goals and one assist during the Bruins' first-round victory over the Washington Capitals and had a goal and assist during the second-round loss to the New York Islanders.

The late push was much more reminiscent of the player Hall was earlier in his career.

He played his first six seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and was into his fourth year with the New Jersey Devils when they traded him to the Arizona Coyotes in 2019-20. He is a two-time All-Star and won the 2017-18 Hart Memorial Trophy as the league MVP with the Devils behind 93 points on 39 goals and 54 assists.

While Hall has struggled to replicate that production in the years since, he was rejuvenated with the Bruins and is still in his prime at 29 years old.

He can be one of the league's best playmakers and scorers when he is dialed in, and now he will look to make a Stanley Cup run in Boston.

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price reportedly wasn't selected by the Seattle Kraken as part of the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported the Habs will retain Price, who's under contract through the 2025-26 season as part of an eight-year, $84 million deal. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff Hockey reported Montreal is "likely to lose" defenseman Cale Fleury instead.

The Kraken's selections will be announced Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Price's $10.5 million cap hit for the next five seasons was likely a crucial factor in Seattle's decision. Financial flexibility is perhaps the most valuable commodity an expansion franchise has, and committing that much of the $81.5 million salary cap to a 33-year-old netminder would have come with risk.

The 2005 first-round pick was terrific during Montreal's underdog run to this year's Stanley Cup Final, where it lost to the reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning. He posted a 2.28 goals against average and .924 save percentage across 22 playoff games.

His regular-season performance over the past two years hasn't lived up to that standard or the one he set in 2014-15 en route to winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender.

Price has compiled a 2.74 GAA and .907 SV% across 83 regular-season appearances since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. His goals saved above average (GSAA) over that span is minus-4.9, per Hockey Reference.

Those numbers combined with the high number of potentially valuable goalies available led the Kraken in a different direction.

Seattle has agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million contract with goalie Chris Driedger, an impending unrestricted free agent who will count toward the team's pick from the Florida Panthers, per Tim Booth and Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the Kraken are likely to select a more cost-effective option from Montreal in Fleury, a restricted free agent who carried a $771,666 cap hit in 2020-21.

Fleury, 22, tallied just one goal in 41 games during his rookie season with the Habs, but he projects as a reliable defensive blueliner in the coming years.

It's possible his 25-year-old brother, Haydn Fleury, will also end up with Seattle after being left exposed for the expansion draft by the Anaheim Ducks.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has reportedly waived his no-move clause in advance of the NHL expansion draft, which will be held Wednesday to fill the Seattle Kraken roster.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN, who broke the news, explained why Price did so.

"Hearing that Carey Price has waived his no-move for purpose of exposure in the expansion draft so that the Habs could protect Jake Allen in the expansion draft," LeBrun wrote.

"The thought is that Seattle wouldn't want to pick up the rest of Price's hefty contract. But I guess we will see."

Chris Johnston of Hockey Night in Canada also provided some thoughts:

Of note on the Carey Price situation: He's owed an $11M signing bonus in September -- a big upfront payout if #seakraken claim him.

Price also only waived his NMC for expansion purposes. So he can't be claimed and flipped in a subsequent trade without his consent.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 18, 2021

NHL teams are allowed to protect either seven forwards, three defenseman and one goalie or eight skaters (forwards or defensemen) and one goalie, per NHL.com. In turn, Seattle must pick at least 20 players from the unprotected player pool.

With teams only allowed to protect one goaltender, it appears that Montreal will protect 30-year-old backup goalie Jake Allen in an attempt to keep both of its netminders.

Price's contract could certainly be a deterrent for Seattle. In addition to the aforementioned $11 million signing bonus, Price has five seasons left on an eight-year,  $84 million contract.

Price, who turns 34 years old in August, just helped the Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. He starred in the playoffs with a 2.28 GAA and .924 save percentage.

The Montreal Canadiens reportedly will not protect defenseman Shea Weber, who turns 36 in August, in the expansion draft due to injuries that may cost him the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign and more, per Renaud Lavoie of NHL Network.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, "Weber, the Canadiens, the NHL and the NHLPA are doing their due diligence on the captain's medical situation and future."

Friedman noted left foot and ankle injuries could cost Weber the rest of his career, but he also underwent knee surgery in July 2018 and played the most recent postseason with a thumb injury. The league is attempting to decide whether he will go on long-term injured reserve if he cannot play again.

His contract, which has five years at a $7.9 million annual value, is a key sticking point.

"That deal, signed via offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, was heavily front-loaded," Friedmann wrote. "There is $12M of actual cash remaining. Nashville, which matched and was where Weber played the next four years, would have a 'cap recapture' penalty of slightly more than $4.9M per season through 2025-26 if the defenceman retires."

Weber is a seven-time All-Star with two gold medals for Team Canada on his resume.

He has been in the NHL since the 2005-06 campaign and played his first 11 seasons on the Nashville Predators and the last five for the Montreal Canadiens. He helped lead Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final this past season, where it lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Weber is known for his physical style of play, but he has also gotten involved on the offensive end throughout his career.

He has nine seasons with 40 or more points, although he had just six goals and 13 assists in 48 games during the 2020-21 campaign.

While his future is in question, Weber is someone who could provide veteran leadership for the Seattle Kraken if Montreal doesn't protect him in the expansion draft.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov played through a non-displaced rib fracture in the Stanley Cup Final.

"He played with a flak jacket from that point on and also had a nerve block injection the day before every game," general manager Julien BriseBois told reporters Tuesday. "It makes his performance during these playoffs both before the injury and post-broken rib all the more impressive."

Kucherov finished with three goals and two assists in the series as the Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens in five games. For the postseason as a whole, he put up 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) after having not played up to that point all year.

BriseBois confirmed in December that Kucherov would miss the 2020-21 regular season because of hip surgery.

Despite missing their points leader from the past three years, the Lightning qualified for the playoffs after finishing third in the Central Division.

It took a collective effort to account for the production Tampa Bay lost, with Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde all stepping up. Steven Stamkos was delivering as well with 34 points through 38 games before a lower-body injury curtailed his regular season.

After getting healthy enough to play again, Kucherov made a major impact for the Lightning, and news of his rib injury will make his performance even more legendary in the eyes of fans.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman will undergo surgery on a torn meniscus, which comes with a recovery timetable of three to four weeks.

Joe Smith of The Athletic reported Hedman initially suffered the knee injury on March 30 but played through the ailment during the Bolts' playoff run to their second straight Stanley Cup title.

The 30-year-old has emerged as one of the NHL's best defensemen in recent years, taking home the Norris Trophy in the 2017-18 season after registering 17 goals, 46 assists and a plus-minus of 32 while averaging 25 minutes, 51 seconds in ice time. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP after helping the Lightning win the 2020 title.

A three-time All-Star, Hedman remains one of the key figures for a Lightning team that'll seek a three-peat next season. The team is stacked, led by Hedman, superstar winger Nikita Kucherov, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and centers Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos.

Barring any setbacks, he should be recovered before the 2021-22 season gets underway.

The Stanley Cup will require some tender loving care following the Tampa Bay Lightning's championship celebration.

The Athletic's Joe Smith shared a photo of the visibly dented trophy:

The ⁦@StanleyCup⁩ did sustain some damage during today’s festivities. It’ll be sent to Montreal for repairs and be back to resume Cup celebration with ⁦@TBLightning⁩ next weekend pic.twitter.com/MEbZGZFxSD

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) July 12, 2021

The circumstances leading up to the Stanley Cup getting a little dinged up are unclear. The Lightning held a boat parade down the Hillsborough River on Monday after beating the Montreal Canadiens to successfully defend their title.

If it could talk, the Stanley Cup would undoubtedly have some great stories to tell. This isn't the first time and it probably won't be the last time the legendary prize has sustained some damage.

With the Tampa Bay Lightning winning their second straight Stanley Cup trophy, fans in the city were once again treated to a boat parade along the Hillsborough River.

Just like after the Lightning's title in 2020 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Super Bowl in February, fans lined alongside the Tampa Riverwalk to see their favorite players celebrate while holding a trophy.

The Stanley Cup made its way around the water with a lot of people getting their hands on it:

The @stanleycup is on the move 🗣🗣🗣 pic.twitter.com/2ZYTNiA0lw

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 12, 2021

Shirts off.
Music up.
Dancing starts.

Watch the @TBLightning  Celebration ⬇️ #GoBolts 

📺: Bally Sports Sun
💻: https://t.co/rd1l7xkaai
📱: Bally Sports App pic.twitter.com/TOBrCX3Eie

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

Back-to-back #StanleyCup victory parade views @TBLightning! ⚡🏒

📷: Tampa Bay Times via AP pic.twitter.com/L62DqbILEI

— 10 Tampa Bay (@10TampaBay) July 12, 2021

🏆 PAT "STANLEY CUP HAT TRICK" MAROON IS IN THE HOUSE 🏆 https://t.co/xi6z97MI2i#GoBolts #StanleyCup #ParadeofChampions pic.twitter.com/zryxfCPpla

— 10 Tampa Bay (@10TampaBay) July 12, 2021

Tampa knows how to throw a boat parade. 🛥🏆#GoBolts pic.twitter.com/QUlucMEO5o

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 12, 2021

The players also had their fair share of fun during the celebration:

Kuch is for the peopleeeee! 🙌🙌🙌🙌#GoBolts #NHL pic.twitter.com/SRnnMDKP63

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

.@YanniGourde's double-fisting technique is pretty pristine! ✊👊

Watch the #GoBolts #StanleyCup Boat Parade on ⤵️

📺: Bally Sports Sun
💻: https://t.co/p0qDDrOop7
📱: Bally Sports App pic.twitter.com/bUMOIrAZd2

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

https://twitter.com/WFLA/status/1414628210768232448

Okay, now he’s not even trying to hide it. Vasilevskiy’s new mask is CLEARLY illegal. pic.twitter.com/UcRtFYpQsZ

— Gregory Balloch (@GregBalloch) July 12, 2021

The King of the Blue Line! 👑

Imagine trying to get around a guy who's 6-foot-8 on skates and crazy skilled!!!

Watch the #GoBolts #StanleyCup Boat Parade on ⤵️

📺: Bally Sports Sun
💻: https://t.co/p0qDDrOop7
📱: Bally Sports App pic.twitter.com/qhYt0PCLLh

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

Let’s hear youuuuuu! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Vn3aAB45K0

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 12, 2021

Pally and Roots saying hey 👋 pic.twitter.com/3t2rcl5XWA

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 12, 2021

Think we figured out how to cool off on a hot Tampa Bay summer day! 🔥🥵😂

Watch the #GoBolts #StanleyCup Boat Parade on ⤵️

📺: Bally Sports Sun
💻: https://t.co/p0qDDrOop7
📱: Bally Sports App pic.twitter.com/o2KSh4aA0k

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

Even owner Jeffrey Vinik and head coach Jon Cooper got in on the action:

"This is a moment for all of us to enjoy!"

-@TBLightning owner Jeff Vinik on winning back-2-back #StanleyCup Championships.#GoBolts #NHL pic.twitter.com/I8UK7FZdsm

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

Coach Cooper is out here looking like a straight 𝘽𝙊𝙎𝙎! 😎

Watch the #GoBolts #StanleyCup Boat Parade on ⤵️

📺: Bally Sports Sun
💻: https://t.co/p0qDDrOop7
📱: Bally Sports App pic.twitter.com/Qmxm1T7wWY

— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) July 12, 2021

The day showed that fans and players do not get tired of winning and celebrating champions. The well-attended event was another exciting moment for a city that has become known for titles.

The Tampa Bay Rays will hope to be the next squad to enjoy a championship in the region.