Here's a bold prediction for the 2021-22 NHL Awards: an Edmonton Oilers player will be nominated for the Hart Trophy.Beyond that, the ultimate finalists for these awards are anyone's guess.Here's the NHL Awards Watch for December. This is informed speculation, taken from conversations around hockey and with voters, regarding the current contenders for each award. We asked a dozen of…

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Sabres addressed their suddenly thin depth in goal by acquiring Malcolm Subban in a trade with the Blackhawks on Thursday.The move became necessary when goaltender Dustin Tokarski was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recalled from AHL Rochester to join the Sabres for their game at Florida later in the day.The Blackhawks acquired…

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol Thursday, putting the team in a difficult situation because of salary-cap constraints.General manager Doug Armstrong said Binnington tested positive for the coronavirus. It was not clear if Binnington had any symptoms."You don't like to hear that news," coach Craig Berube said on a video call. "We just move on,…

The Arizona Coyotes say they're staying put.The team vehemently denied a Forbes' report on Thursday citing an unnamed banking source that the Coyotes are up for sale "with the idea of [a] buyer eventually moving the team to a new arena in Houston."Arizona quickly issued a statement in response."This is false. Totally false," the statement read. "We're not selling. We're…