CONNOR MCDAVID

NHL forward Jack Eichel arrives in Vegas with a set of questions for the Golden Knights.

McDavid Back Hockey FILE - Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) plays against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, in this Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, file photo. McDavid is back on the ice this week as he tries to build off a unanimous MVP season. The unanimous NHL MVP returned to the ice in July and worked hard to improve his defensive game with an eye on building off a 105-point season in just 56 games. It's not easy to practice in summer skates that are more like shinny than postseason hockey, but McDavid has taken it upon himself to try. "Heading into my seventh year, you realize that you’ve always got to be building on your game, growing your game and working on a full, 200-foot game.

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith to the Edmonton Oilers for young defenseman Caleb Jones and a third-round draft pick.

McDavid was voted the Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's MVP for the second time in his career, Tuesday, June 29. McDavid became just the second unanimous Hart selection — joining Wayne Gretzky in 1982 — in receiving all 100 first-place votes from members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. McDavid doubled up on honors by also winning his third Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player, which is voted on by NHL players. Fox became the second player to win the Norris in his second season, joining Bobby Orr winning in 1968. The Oilers players have now won the Hart in three of the past five years, with Draisaitl winning it last year.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid ran away in the voting to win his second Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after leading the league in points.

(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) (JASON FRANSON)NEW YORK — (AP) — Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon have been named the finalists for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. McDavid, considered the likely winner of the award, dominated the 2020-21 scoring race with 105 points in 56 games — 21 more than runner-up and Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, who won MVP honors last year. A McDavid win would make the Oilers the first team with different Hart Trophy winners in consecutive seasons since the Boston Bruins in 1968-69 (Phil Esposito) and 1969-70 (Bobby Orr). McDavid, who is Edmonton's captain, won the Hart Trophy in 2017 and finished third in the voting in 2019. Matthews scored a league-leading 41 goals in 52 games to help Toronto earn the top seed in the North Division.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon have been named finalists for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.

Oilers Jets Hockey Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Connor (81) scores the game-winning goal on Edmonton Oilers' goaltender Mike Smith (41) during third overtime period of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff game, Monday, May 24, 2021, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP) (Fred Greenslade)WINNIPEG, Manitoba — (AP) — Kyle Connor scored 6:52 into the third overtime period, lifting the Winnipeg Jets to a first-round series sweep of the Edmonton Oilers with a 4-3 victory Monday night. Mark Scheifele scored twice and Mason Appleton added a goal for the Jets, who eliminated the Oilers in the playoffs for the first time. So before the next round, the Jets will get some much-needed rest after playing three straight overtime games — including two on back-to-back nights. “It took all pieces of our game,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said.

Oilers star Connor McDavid, who had 105 points in the regular season, is still looking for his first point of the series as the Jets lead 2-0.

The Blues lost defensemen Justin Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo during a 6-3 loss to the Avalanche. The Jets held Oilers' Connor McDavid without a point.

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid recorded his 100th point of the season - in his 53rd game - with a four-point game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Oilers Canucks Hockey Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, far right, scores against Vancouver Canucks goalie Braden Holtby (49) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, May 3, 2021, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) (Darryl Dyck)VANCOUVER, British Columbia — (AP) — Connor McDavid had two goals and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. The Canucks had a single shot on goal through the first 15 minutes of the period. Barrie gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead just 18 seconds into the second period. Kahun closed out the second period with a blast past Holtby, making it 4-2 for Edmonton with 44.1 seconds left on the clock.

Many draft-eligible prospects and NHL teams attempting to pick them face an uncertain future after many leagues were unable to hold full seasons or play at all because of the pandemic.

“I’m feeling quite well but, of course, scarred by the experience.”The first month of the NHL's pandemic-shortened season has been a bumpy one. From Jan. 13 through Saturday, 120 players from 26 of 31 teams have spent at least one day on the COVID-19 list. Minnesota and New Jersey are scheduled to return Tuesday, while the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently have seven players on the NHL COVID-19 list, are on pause until at least Thursday. AdThe NHL had 22 players on the COVID-19 list on Jan. 30, and that number ballooned to a season-high 59 on Friday. Rapid tests return results within a half hour and augment the PCR daily tests which were already taking place.

San Jose's Erik Karlsson (65) handles the puck against Minnesota Wild's Nick Bjugstad (27) in the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. San Jose won 5-3. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)With an outbreak delaying the Dallas Stars' opener, Rick Bowness got to watch a lot of hockey in the first couple of nights of the NHL season. “It was entertaining hockey, but it was a little sloppy,” Bowness said. “We’re staying in 5-star hotels, get to play hockey, so I can’t complain,” defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said. Ad___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The New York Rangers selected Canadian forward Alexis Lafreniere with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft on Tuesday night. Lafreniere joins a young, developing Rangers team that features one of his favorite players, Hart Trophy finalist Artemi Panarin. 1 pick for the first time since the NHL established the universal draft in 1969. They became the first NHL team to select first following a postseason appearance since the then-Minnesota North Stars in 1983, who acquired the No.

EDMONTON, AB – Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid has tested positive for COVID-19. The NHL made it through its postseason in bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton without one positive test in August and September. Two more positive tests were reported during training camp, which was considered Phase 3. Six members of the Ottawa Senators organization tested positive for COVID-19 after the team made a trip through hard-hit California just before the league suspended its season in March. The NHL stopped releasing the names or teams for positive tests earlier this year.

1 pick in the NHL draft while also coming off an appearance in the expanded 24-team playoffs. The Rangers only made the playoffs because the NHL expanded the format to 24, rather than 16 teams. 1 pick is going to be a very good hockey player, there’s no question, maybe even a great player, hopefully. “To be maybe having the chance to play with him, it would be an honor,” Lafreniere said. General managers are bracing for a hectic weekend with numerous teams having to shed payroll this offseason with the NHL salary cap staying at $81.5 million.