Around the NHL: Kevin Shattenkirk retires after 14 seasons

The 35-year-old was drafted 14th overall in the 2007 draft by the Colorado Avalanche, playing a part of a season there before he was traded to the St. Louis Blues. It was with the Blues where Shattenkirk made his mark in the league, as he scored 59 goals and 258 points in 425 games in the seven seasons he played in Missouri.

After a trade to the Washington Capitals before the 2017 trade deadline, Shattenkirk signed a four-year deal with the New York Rangers, before being bought out by them after the 2018-19 season, the same season the Blues won the Stanley Cup.

Shattenkirk got to hoist the Stanley Cup the following season, as he won his first and only cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020, before playing three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks from 2020-21 until 2022-23. His last season in the league, although we didn’t know it at the time, was with the Boston Bruins last season, where he scored six goals and 24 points in 61 games.

For his career, Shattenkirk finished with 103 goals and 484 points in 952 games, along with eight goals and 48 points in 91 postseason games.

Florida likely to host an outdoor game

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers are likely to host an outdoor game in the coming seasons, possibly as soon as next season.

It’s not a true outdoor game though, as the venue, LoanDepot Park which is the home to the awful Miami Marlins, is a stadium with a retractable roof. Still, the National Hockey League has hosted outdoor games in less-than-ideal locations, such as Lake Tahoe in 2021 and Santa Clara in 2015.

The Panthers are one of just three teams that have never played in an outdoor game. One of those teams, the Columbus Blue Jackets, is set to host the Detroit Red Wings later this year in the annual Stadium Series. The Winter Classic will be contested between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks at the famous Wrigley Field. This will be the seventh time the Blackhawks play in an outdoor game, the most for any team.

If you wondering about the other team that hasn’t played in an outdoor game, it’s the Utah Hockey Club, who are playing their first season. For what it’s worth, the Arizona Coyotes (or Phoenix Coyotes) never played in an outdoor game either.

Oilers claim Alec Regula

The Calgary Flames’ provincial rival made a waiver claim on Wednesday, claiming right-shot defenceman Alec Regula from the Boston Bruins.

Regula was selected 67th overall in the 2018 draft by the Detroit Red Wings after playing his junior years with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League and the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. In 2019, Regula was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brendan Perlini, who also played for the Oilers.

It was with the Blackhawks where Regula made his debut, playing three games in 2020-21, along with 15 games in 2021-22 where he scored a goal, his only point in the National Hockey League. In 2022-23, he only played four games with the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks traded him to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a former Oiler, Taylor Hall, where he didn’t play a game for the Bruins. He did play for their American Hockey League team, scoring four goals and 26 points in 55 games last season, but hasn’t played a game this season.