IAN COLE

The NHL salary cap could be going up more than expected sooner than expected.

The National Hockey League said it found no evidence to support sexual abuse claims made by a Twitter user against Tampa Bay Lightning's Ian Cole.

NEW YORK — (AP) — The NHL said Saturday it found no evidence to substantiate allegations posted on social media against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole and has concluded its investigation. The league said it was unable to make contact with the anonymous source of the Oct. 7 social media post in the investigation conducted by its Security and Legal departments. The NHL said the investigation included two separate interviews with Cole as well as interviews with NHL club personnel and other individuals with potentially relevant information. It added it also included a detailed review of on-line and social media, public data, and court records and law enforcement checks. “The organization takes these accusations very seriously and supports the conclusion from the NHL investigation,” the Lightning said in a statement.

The NHL said Saturday it found no evidence to substantiate allegations posted on social media against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole and has concluded its investigation.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole is accused of sexually assaulting and grooming a woman when she was a minor. The accusations were made on Twitter.

The Tampa Bay Lightning suspended defenseman Ian Cole pending an investigation into allegations made on social media that he sexually abused a woman when she was a minor. The Lightning said Sunday night they were fully cooperating with the NHL on an investigation and were making the decision to suspend Cole until they gather more details. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press earlier Sunday the league had launched an investigation. Daly added the league had no prior knowledge of the allegations until they were posted on social media. ___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are suspending defenseman Ian Cole pending an investigation into allegations made on social media that he sexually abused a woman when she was a minor.

Johnny Gaudreau leaving Calgary for Columbus headlined a busy offseason of player movement around the NHL.

Rangers Hurricanes Hockey Carolina Hurricanes celebrate an overtime goal by Ian Cole against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 18, 2022. The defenseman's second career playoff goal capped a late comeback by the Hurricanes after they trailed most of the night. Sebastian Aho finally pushed one past Shesterkin in the final minutes of the third period to send the game into OT. Then came Cole's rebound shot, which clipped the stick of Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren to change direction on the way toward the net before slipping past Shesterkin to end this one. They even twice got pucks past Shesterkin only to ping the crossbar, first on a breakaway by Nino Niederreiter and later from Aho.

Ian Cole beat Igor Shesterkin at 3:12 of overtime to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 2-1 to take Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

The Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes are among the contenders looking to get over the hump this year and win the Stanley Cup.

The eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference have been set since before the All-Star break.

Kevin Fiala and Frederick Gaudreau each had a goal and an assist for the Minnesota Wild in a 3-2 victory over Carolina.

The family-friendly event features art, exhibits, hands-on workshops, and Robot Ruckus, the largest heavyweight combat robot competition outside of the Battle Bots television show.

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired goaltender Devan Dubynk from the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft.

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2019, file photo, St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, right, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. Tarasenko makes his return after early season shoulder surgery that limited him to three goals in 10 games. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Ditto for St. Louis, the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Blues and Avalanche were navigating through some key injuries before the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hiatus allowed time to heal and now the top two teams in the Western Conference return as Cup favorites. The two teams get things rolling Sunday in Edmonton by facing each other to kick off a round-robin tournament to determine seeding in the West. It should be a fun ride.Back on the ice for the Blues is forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who underwent shoulder surgery in late October.