Sabres, Penguins going in opposite directions

China has appointed a new military commander in restive Xinjiang where authorities have locked up more than a million members of Muslim minorities in what they call a bid to curb terrorism and radicalism. Lt. Gen. Wang Haijiang will oversee a massive military presence in the sprawling northwestern region that borders on several unstable Central Asian states, along with Pakistan and Afghanistan, from which U.S. troops are withdrawing. Like Xinjiang’s hardline Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, Wang previously served in Tibet, which also hosts large numbers of troops to suppress anti-government sentiment among the native Tibetan population and guard the disputed border with India, where the two nations had a deadly clash last year.

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.

The NHL has been creative with its placement of the game. Here are several other venues to consider.