National Hockey

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS LAST SEASON: 50-23-9, 109 points. Won Central Division. Swept by Nashville Predators in first round of playoffs. COACH: Joel Quenneville (10th season, 21st NHL season).

DALLAS STARS LAST SEASON: 34-37-11, 79 points. Sixth in Central Division. COACH: Ken Hitchcock (first season back in Dallas; 22nd NHL season, eighth with Stars). ADDED: F Alexander Radulov, G Ben Bishop, D Marc Methot, C Martin Hanzal.

DALLAS — The Dallas Stars would be just fine if it becomes like 1999 all over again. Ken Hitchcock, the coach who led the Stars to their only Stanley Cup championship nearly two decades ago, is back on their bench.

LAS VEGAS — The expansion Vegas Golden Knights dropped their first-ever home game when Brooks Laich scored 12 seconds into overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 exhibition win on Tuesday night.

The Nashville Predators are proof anything is possible in the NHL playoffs. History suggests they are up against quite a challenge.

ASQUITH, Sask. — An ice rink in Saskatchewan that had a signed Gordie Howe jersey stolen has received so many sports items it is having an online auction.

VANCOUVER — It's not hard to get a read on Jacob Markstrom when things aren't going well.

Auston Matthews and William Nylander are showing no signs of any sophomore slump so far through the pre-season.

EDMONTON — Scott Darling wasn't sorely tested in his debut in net for the Carolina Hurricanes.

WINNIPEG — Patrik Laine made sure the Winnipeg Jets' power-play unit measured up to its standards on Monday.