NHL

AP Hockey WriterNHL GMs call for change on goalie interference challengesBy STEPHEN WHYNOCoach's challenges for goaltender interference and the ensuing arguments aren't going away.There will just be a new place to direct the complaints.With the goal of refining the consistency of goalie interference challenges, NHL general managers on Wednesday...

Canes reassign GM Francis to another front-office positionRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Hall of Fame player Ron Francis is out as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes after four years but will remain with the team in another front-office position, new owner Tom Dundon said Wednesday night.Dundon says the team...

Penguins trade Condon to Senators for 2017 5th-round pickPITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded goaltender Mike Condon to the Ottawa Senators for a 2017 fifth-round draft pick.The deal comes as Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray returned to the ice for the Penguins after missing the start of...

Blue Jackets buy out Hartnell to free salary cap spaceCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Columbus Blue Jackets have bought out the final two years of 35-year-old forward Scott Hartnell's contract, opening up salary cap space to possibly sign another free agent.Hartnell would have cost the team $4.75 million against...

AP Sports WriterLas Vegas hires McCrimmon as assistant GMBy STEPHEN WHYNOThe Las Vegas expansion NHL team has hired Kelly McCrimmon as its assistant general manager.McCrimmon is well-known and widely respected in hockey circles as a brilliant talent evaluator during his time at the junior level. The owner, general manager...

Biega gets 1st goal in 3 years to lift Canucks over DucksVANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Vancouver coach Travis Green did a double take when he saw Alex Biega doing postgame TV interviews.Biega got his first goal in over three years, Brandon Sutter had two goals and an assist...

AP Sports WriterCoyotes captain Shane Doan calls it a careerBy JOHN MARSHALLGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan is retiring after 21 seasons with the same franchise.The Coyotes announced Doan's retirement on Wednesday.The 40-year-old Doan is the franchise's all-time leader in nearly every category, finishing his career...

Blues fire coach Ken Hitchcock, promote Mike YeoST. LOUIS (AP) The Blues abruptly fired coach Ken Hitchcock on Wednesday, cutting short the veteran's final season in St. Louis and putting coach-in-waiting Mike Yeo in charge of the underperforming team months earlier than planned.General manager Doug Armstrong announced the...

AP Hockey WriterTorey Krug says contract talks with Bruins 'nonexistent'By STEPHEN WHYNOCHICAGO (AP) Torey Krug says there have been no talks with the Boston Bruins on a new contract with one season left to unrestricted free agency.Despite a breakout playoff performance that helped the Bruins get to Game...

AP Hockey WriterTop picks from 2016 and 2017 are unfazed by playoff pressureBy STEPHEN WHYNOAuston Matthews got a taste of playoff hockey last season. Patrik Laine has been waiting two years for this.The third pick in the 2016 draft? Well, Pierre-Luc Dubois is taking a surprising star turn in...

AP Sports WriterCrosby's return makes resilient Penguins diligent, dangerousBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) Mike Sullivan's messages can be relentless. The Pittsburgh Penguins coach peppers his team with a handful of mantras that seemingly run on a loop during every practice, every period, sometimes every shift.They run from ''play the...

AP Hockey WriterCup finalist Pens, Predators face different tests in round 2By STEPHEN WHYNOThe road back to the Stanley Cup Final took two very different turns for the Penguins and Predators at the start of the second round.Back-to-back defending champion Pittsburgh roared back from a two-goal, third-period deficit to...