Kevin Dineen will remain behind the Chicago Blackhawks bench as an assistant coach after the Colorado Avalanche hired Jared Bednar as its head coach. Dineen was reportedly a top candidate for the opening.
HAWKS
**Toews named alternate captain for Canada at WCH (SCH)
**Keith withdraws from WCH to focus on rehabbing knee (SCH)
**Motte, Schmaltz to represent Hawks at NHL Rookie Showcase (SCH)
**Top 25 Under 25: Erik Gustafsson at No. 13 (SCH)
**Top 25 Under 25: Luke Johnson at No. 14 (SCH)
**SCH GIF Tournament (SCH)
CENTRAL DIVISION
**Avs name Jared Bednar its next head coach (MHH)
**Bednar’s pro hockey roots in rough-and-tumble ECHL (The Denver Post)
**Bednar is a player’s coach: ‘Guys love playing for him. He gets it’ (The Denver Post)
**Report: Avs bringing in Rene Bourque on PTO (theScore)
**Blues name Pietrangelo captain (STLGT)
**Preds Top 25 Under 25: No. 10 Samuel Girard (OTF)
**Well rested Koivu could spell success for Wild (HW)
**Some Wild fans aren’t so crazy over “Let’s Go Crazy” as goal song (HW)
**Which Trashers should be inducted into Jets Hall of Fame? (AIH)
NHL
**Las Vegas could be named Desert Knights (LV R-J)
**Las Vegas hires former Panthers executive Scott Luce (PHT)
**Panthers trade Bolland, Crourse to Arizona (LBC)
**Rangers sign Brandon Pirri to 1-year, $1.1M deal (BB)
HOCKEY WORLD
**Video: Datsyuk scores first goal since returning to KHL (PHT)
**Arizona State officially applies to NCHC but arena question lingers (SBNCH)
**Devils’ Schneider gets patriotic pads for WCH (theScore)
**Matthew Tkachuk wears ‘RIP Harambe’ T-shirt to Memorial Cup parade (theScore)