The Los Angeles Kings and general manager Rob Blake have parted ways.
Blake had been the Kings general manager since 2017.
The Kings haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since their last Cup win in 2014, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in 4 straight season.
The New York Rangers have re-signed Juuso Parssinen to a 2-year contract extension with a $1.25 million cap hit.
The Rangers acquired Parssinen in the trade that sent Ryan Lindgren to Colorado. In 48 games last season split between the Predators, Avalanche and Rangers, Parssinen had 6 goals and 10 assists.
Parssinen, 24, will have 1 RFA season remaining after this 2-year contract expires.
The New York Rangers are in advanced talks about bringing Mike Sullivan on as their next head coach, reports Emily Kaplan.
Kaplan notes the eventual contract should be one of the richest in NHL history for a head coach. Kevin Weekes wondered this week if Sullivan’s new contract would pay him in excess of $7 million.
Vince Mercogliano reports that it’s possible that John Tortorella might join Mike Sullivan in New York as an assistant coach if he doesn’t land a head coaching job elsewhere. Sullivan was an assistant to Tortorella in several stops, including with the Rangers. Tortorella, along with former Rangers’ head coach David Quinn, was on Sullivan’s staff for Team USA at the Four Nations Face Off.
Mike Peca and Dan Muse are still under employment by the Rangers as assistant coaches, but could still be let go if their new head coach sees fit.
Jacob Markstrom is open to signing an extension with the New Jersey Devils, reports James Nichols.
As he is signed through the 2025-26 season, Markstrom is eligible to sign an extension this July 1st at the earliest. He will have a cap hit of $6 million next season.
Markstrom, 35, was acquired from the Flames last summer in exchange for the Devils 2025 1st round pick and defenseman Kevin Bahl. He went 26-16-6 with a 0.911 SV% in 2024-25.
The Carolina Hurricanes have re-signed Taylor Hall to a 3-year contract extension with a cap-hit of $3.167 million.
Hall, 33, has acquired from the Blackhawks in a 3-way trade that saw Mikko Rantanen going to the Hurricanes and Martin Necas to the Avalanche.
The winger had 9 goals and 9 assists in 31 games with the Hurricanes after the trade.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan have parted ways.
Sullivan has been the Penguins head coach since the 2015-16 series, winning Stanley Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Sullivan figures to have plenty of interest this offseason, with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins two teams who will be interested. Sullivan was head coach of the Bruins from 2003-04 to 2005-06 and assistant coach with the Rangers from 2009-10 to 2012-13.
Sullivan has two years remaining on his contract with the Penguins at $5.5 million per season, the second highest for any NHL coach.
The Washington Capitals have re-signed Nic Dowd to a 2-year contract extension with a cap hit of $3 million.
Dowd, 34, has 14 goals and 13 assists in 82 games for the Capitals this season. He was eligible to be a UFA after this season.
The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed Alex Iafallo to a 3-year contract extension with a cap hit of $3.67 million.
Iafallo, 31, was set to be a UFA this summer. He was acquired from the Kings in the summer of 2023 in the trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles.
The winger has 15 goals and 16 assists in 81 games for the Jets this season.