NHL

AP Hockey WriterNHL contenders hope late-signing prospects are playoff readyBy STEPHEN WHYNOThe ink was barely dry on his contract when Ryan Donato played his first professional game.Three days after his junior season at Harvard ended, Donato joined the Boston Bruins' lineup in the middle of a playoff chase in...

Hurricanes place Jordan Staal on IR with concussionRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Hurricanes have placed forward Jordan Staal on injured reserve with a concussion.General manager Don Waddell also announced Wednesday that the team recalled forward Janne Kuokkanen from its AHL affiliate in Charlotte.Staal has missed two games with...

AP Hockey WriterQuiet nature of NHL labor talks breeds cautious optimismBy STEPHEN WHYNORepresentatives from the NHL and NHL Players' Association have met numerous times over the past eight months and not once in a secret underground bunker or a dark parking garage.Unlike previous collective bargaining negotiations that spilled out...

Bruins to retire Rick Middleton's No. 16 sweaterBOSTON (AP) Rick Middleton's No. 16 is headed to the TD Garden rafters.The Bruins say Middleton's sweater will be retired by the team on Nov. 29, before its game against the New York Islanders.Middleton becomes the 11th player in franchise history...

Avalanche forward J.T. Compher signs four-year dealDENVER (AP) J.T. Compher has signed a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche that runs through the 2022-23 season.The 24-year-old forward had 16 goals and 16 assists for Colorado last season. He added four goals and two assists in a dozen playoff...

AP Hockey Writer2-time Cup-winner Versteeg retires after 11 NHL seasonsBy JOHN WAWROWTwo-time Stanley Cup-winning forward Kris Versteeg is retiring after 11 NHL seasons.The 33-year-old announced his decision through the NHL Players' Association on Tuesday, and after ending this season playing with his brother, Mitch, with Slovakia's HK Nitra.Versteeg was...

AP Sports WriterMcAvoy's back for Bruins, and now comes the easy partBy JIMMY GOLENBOSTON (AP) When he's playing, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said, it's easy for him to maintain his composure and concentrate on the game in front of him.Up in the press box, that's the hard part.''I'm...

Blackhawks unload Hossa's contract in trade with CoyotesCHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Marian Hossa and Vinnie Hinostroza in a blockbuster deal with the Arizona Coyotes, parting with a promising young forward in order to clear out a troublesome contract.The Blackhawks also sent defenseman Jordan Oesterle and...

AP Sports WriterUnlikely scorers for Stars again to win Stanley Cup openerBy STEPHEN HAWKINSJoel Hanley had never scored a goal in the NHL until Game 1 of the Stanley Cup for the Dallas Stars.Just another unlikely scorer this postseason for the Stars, like rookie Joel Kiviranta.Hanley scored the first...

Lightning sign Kucherov to 8-year extension through 2026-27TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Nikita Kucherov to an eight-year contract extension worth an average of $9.5 million in salary and annual bonuses.The team announced the deal Tuesday. The 25-year-old would have been a restricted free...

AP Hockey WriterNHL addressing goalies' issues with smaller chest protectorsBy STEPHEN WHYNOJames Reimer keeps flinching and he doesn't like it.Several times in practice already this season, the Florida Panthers goaltender has braced for a shot up high because he is wearing smaller, more formfitting chest and arm protectors required...

AP Sports WriterSharks rally after Pavelski's scary injury to make 2nd roundBy JOSH DUBOWSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Joe Thornton gathered his teammates at the bench as a bloodied Joe Pavelski was taken off the ice after being knocked out on a hit and implored them to avenge their...