Sabres get top pick for 2018 NHL Draft

In the case of the Colorado Avalanche’s Tuesday signings, the most noteworthy name is one that wasn’t on the list. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov still needs a deal, which means there’s still at least some threat that he’d leave for the KHL. A little more than a week ago, reports surfaced that Zadorov may strike a deal with CSKA, although he’s willing to give the Avalanche until the end of the month to come up with a better deal.

Growing up on a farm as a hockey-loving kid in Saskatchewan, the knowledge that players like Gordie Howe had made the journey from that remote province to the NHL gave Patrick Marleau belief that he could one day follow that same path. Marleau has done far more than just make it to the NHL. Now nearly a quarter-century after leaving Saskatchewan to sign with the San Jose Sharks as a fresh-faced teenager, Marleau is set to eclipse Mr. Hockey’s all-time games played record in the NHL.