KRIS LETANG

Executives around the NHL expect plenty of movement before free agency opens Wednesday.

While Julien BriseBois knows exactly how confident he is about the possibility of re-signing playoff performer Ondrej Palat and veteran defenseman Jan Rutta, he's not saying. "Still working on that," the two-time Stanley Cup-winning general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning said. Colorado, which beat Tampa Bay in the Cup Final, is looking to sign postseason standout Valeri Nichushkin among a group of potential free agents, and others such as Calgary MVP candidate Johnny Gaudreau, Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin and Florida trade deadline pickup Claude Giroux could all get new deals to stay rather than hitting the open market.

Japan's NHK television says former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot during a campaign speech. (July 8)

NHL Moves Hockey FILE -N ew York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev protects the net during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders on Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. The Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche acquired goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers for three draft picks, Thursday, July 7, 2022. The Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche on Thursday acquired goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers for three draft picks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins also signed veteran defenseman Kris Letang to a $36.6 million, six-year contract that carries a $6.1 million annual salary cap hit. The move seems to spell the end of playoff starting goalie Darcy Kuemper’s time with the Avalanche. ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Colorado, Chicago and Pittsburgh all made key moves ahead of the NHL draft with the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche making a deal to shore up their goaltending situation and the Penguins ensuring a long-time defenseman was sticking around.

Moves are already happening around the NHL several hours before the draft begins, with the reigning Stanley Cup winners making a move to shore up their goaltending situation and a recent back-to-back champion ensuring a long-time defenseman was sticking around. The Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche on Thursday acquired goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers for three draft picks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins also signed veteran defenseman Kris Letang to a $36.6 million, six-year contract that carries a $6.1 million annual salary cap hit. Colorado gave up third- and fifth-round picks this year and a third-rounder next year for Georgiev.

Penguins Rangers Hockey Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and goaltender Tristan Jarry skate off the ice after losing to the New York Rangers in overtime of Game 7 in an NHL hockey playoff series, Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Not after a gut-wrenching playoff loss to the New York Rangers, when a 3-1 series lead ended with the Penguins being on the wrong end of the handshake line at raucous Madison Square Garden after the Rangers pulled off one staggering comeback after another. The last was a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 7 that marked Pittsburgh's fourth straight one-and-done during a time of year Crosby, Malkin and Letang have helped define. A gritty start in which role players like Evan Rodrigues filled in spectacularly while Crosby and Malkin (among others) recovered from injuries. NET WORTHJarry bounced back from a rocky playoff series against the Islanders last spring to make his second All-Star team.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are at a crossroads following a fourth straight quick playoff exit.

For the better part of two decades, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have served as the foundation upon which the Pittsburgh Penguins built three Stanley Cup champions. Not after a gut-wrenching playoff loss to the New York Rangers, when a 3-1 series lead ended with the Penguins being on the wrong end of the handshake line at raucous Madison Square Garden after the Rangers pulled off one staggering comeback after another. The last was a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 7 that marked Pittsburgh's fourth straight one-and-done during a time of year Crosby, Malkin and Letang have helped define.

Penguins star Sidney Crosby left with about seven minutes remaining in the second period with an apparent injury and didn't return. Game 6 is Friday in Pittsburgh, and a potential deciding Game 7 would be Sunday back at Madison Square Garden. With the Penguins leading 1-0 after 20 minutes, Pittsburgh's Mike Matheson hit a goalpost 3 1/2 minutes into the second period. The Rangers outshot the Penguins 11-10 in the first period, limited mostly to shots from the outside. LINEUPLindgren returned to the Rangers' lineup after missing the previous three games following an upper body injury in Game 1 of this series.

Filip Chytil scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period and the New York Rangers staved off elimination with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

Comebacks are hard to come back so far in the NHL playoffs after they were so commonplace during the regular season.

Danton Heinen’s first playoff goal in three years just past the midway point of the third period helped the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers.

Andrei Svechnikov scored on a power play at 3:14 of overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes completed a rally from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Friday night.

Jesper Fast scored 9 seconds into the third period to break a tie, Sebastian Aho followed with his 22nd goal of the season and the Carolina Hurricanes edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Sunday to move into first place in the Metropolitan Division.

APTOPIX Flyers Penguins Hockey Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) scores his 500th NHL career goal on Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) (Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH — (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored his 500th goal and Pittsburgh teammate Kris Letang capped a late rally to lift the Penguins past the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in overtime Tuesday night. Scott Laughton, Nick Seeler and Justin Braun scored during a second-period outburst as the Flyers took command. Claude Giroux also scored for Philadelphia, which saw itself on the wrong end of a signature Crosby moment once again. Laughton tied the game 57 seconds into the second period when he jumped on a loose puck in the slot and fired it by DeSmith.

Sidney Crosby scored his 500th goal and Pittsburgh teammate Kris Letang capped a late rally to send the Penguins past the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in overtime.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is the latest member of the NHL’s 500-goal club.

Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski scored 75 seconds apart late in the third period, and the Dallas Stars stopped Pittsburgh’s 10-game win streak with a 3-2 victory over the Penguins.

Garnet Hathaway scored his third goal in two games, Alex Ovechkin added two assists and the Washington Capitals spoiled Sidney Crosby’s return, routing the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1.

COVID-19 protocols FILE PHOTO: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the New Jersey Devils at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 30, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)The Pittsburgh Penguins are missing two of their players after their COVID-19 tests came back positive. >> Read more trending newsStar center and team captain Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin missed practice Wednesday and are under COVID protocols, team officials said on Twitter. Coach Sullivan confirms that Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulin missed practice after testing positive for COVID-19. — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 3, 2021Coach Mike Sullivan said previously that having players test positive for the coronavirus is bad luck more than anything, WPXI reported.

Devils Penguins Hockey Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) skates during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Gene J. Puskar)PITTSBURGH — (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins placed star center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the COVID-19 protocol on Wednesday after both tested positive. Coach Mike Sullivan said Crosby is dealing with mild symptoms while Dumoulin remains asymptomatic. Though the overwhelming majority of Penguins have been vaccinated, they've spent the early portion of the season wrangling with COVID-19. Crosby and Dumoulin are the seventh and eighth Penguins to go into the COVID-19 protocol since training camp opened in September.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed star center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the COVID-19 protocol after both tested positive.

Tristan Jarry had 26 saves, Danton Heinen and Brian Boyle scored early second-period goals, and the short-handed Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in the regular-season opener.

Brad Marchand scored 3:36 into overtime and the Boston Bruins beat the New York Islanders 2-1 in Game 3 to take the lead in the second-round playoff series.

Brock Nelson scored twice in New York’s three-goal second period and the Islanders advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6.

Penguins Islanders Hockey New York Islanders' Oliver Wahlstrom (26) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday, May 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II)UNIONDALE, N.Y. — (AP) — Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots, Oliver Wahlstrom and Ryan Pulock each had a goal and an assist and the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 in Game 4 Saturday to even the first-round series. Sorokin, who had 39 saves in the Islanders' 4-3 win in Game 1, was back in goal after Semyon Varlamov started Games 2 and 3 — both losses. Game 5 is Monday night in Pittsburgh, and Game 6 back at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday. PLAYING WITH THE LEADBailey's second-period goal gave the Islanders the lead during the game for just the third time in the series.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots, Oliver Wahlstrom and Ryan Pulock each had a goal and an assist and the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 in Game 4 Saturday to even the first-round series.

Brandon Tanev scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:36 left and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Islanders 5-4 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will face a familiar foe as they begin their pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

The Pittsburgh Penguins say the NHL's COVID-19 protocols may have helped their march to a division title.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are happy but not satisfied after clinching a 15th straight playoff berth.

Kapanen scored two goals and the Penguins defeated the Flyers 5-2 on Tuesday night. Penguins’ players raised their sticks and saluted the fans in attendance following the win. Following a scoreless first period, Farabee and Kapanen scored 1:07 apart to open the second period. The Flyers will welcome fans back to the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday against Washington. The Penguins scored three goals and outshot the Flyers 13-3 to start the second period.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – It was one special day for Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby — from the beginning to the very end. Crosby had two assists in his 1,000th NHL game, and the Penguins beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Saturday night. “Every win is good, but to get it for (Crosby) on his 1,000th game is special,” Letang said. Crosby entered his 1,000th game with the eighth-most points in NHL history through 1,000 games. 87 jersey to recognize their captain before his 1,000th NHL game.

DeSmith figured Ovechkin would try to fire one past him rather than deke his way to the net. DeSmith stayed upright as Ovechkin closed in and felt the familiar smack of rubber hitting him and not the net. “I thought our guys played hard in the second and third against a really good team,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. While Sullivan remains confident Jarry will be fine, he turned to DeSmith to help get Pittsburgh going. Washington went 1 for 4 on the power play, a tap-in goal by Backstrom in the second that gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead.

The announcement came at nearly the same time the Pittsburgh Penguins revealed one of their players had tested positive for the coronavirus. The team said the unidentified player was not in Pittsburgh, was isolated after experiencing symptoms and has recovered. So far, nine NHL players have tested positive: five from Ottawa, three from Colorado and one from Pittsburgh. Everybody is used to a best of seven, Pittsburgh player representative Kris Letang said. Any team that is going to win five rounds, four rounds of best of seven ...