The Seattle Kraken are free to make trades and sign players after making their final expansion payment to the NHL.

Seattle owners paid $650 million to become the 32nd franchise. The Kraken begin play next season.

Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller is retiring at the conclusion of this NHL season, ending a career that included a star-making run in the 2010 Winter Olympics for Team USA.

Miller, 40, has played 794 games in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and the Ducks, with whom he has spent the past four seasons.

The NHL expects negotiations with the Canadian government regarding travel across the border could extend through the opening rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"It's going to be down to the wire," a source with knowledge of the talks told ESPN, indicating a decision on the border may not be made until the first week in June.

Chicago Blackhawks veteran forward Andrew Shaw is retiring from the NHL after doctors "highly recommended" he stop playing to care for his long-term health after several concussions.

"I want people to know that I'm OK," Shaw told ESPN. "I'm in a good place. But I'm going to miss it, I'm going to miss it like crazy still."

The Blackhawks have agreed to a three-year contract extension with defenseman Riley Stillman.

The team announced the deal Sunday. The contract runs through the 2023-24 season and carries an annual cap hit of $1.35 million.

The Minnesota Wild signed forward Ryan Hartman to a three-year, $5.1 million contract extension Thursday night.

The 26-year-old Hartman was eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

The NHL is planning to open the 2021-22 season on Oct. 12, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

That's roughly a week later than a typical 82-game regular season would start, an understandable delay given that the Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to roll through mid-July. Sources said that training camps for NHL teams would open on Sept. 22.

The league informed its general managers of the planned dates on a call Wednesday, according to sources.

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau played in his 1,768th career game on Monday night at the Vegas Golden Knights, breaking Hall of Famer Gordie Howe's record for the most in NHL history.

Marleau, 41, began his career with San Jose in the 1997-98 season. Marleau set the games played record in 23 seasons.

The New Jersey Devils have signed first-round pick Alexander Holtz to a three-year, entry-level contract starting next season.

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced Monday that Holtz also signed an American Hockey League amateur try-out agreement for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. He will join Binghamton after finishing his quarantine period.

Patrick Marleau tied Gordie Howe's mark of 1,767 NHL games played when the visiting San Jose Sharks faced the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

Marleau, 41, hopped over the boards for his first shift 40 seconds into the game and finished with 19 shifts and 14:16 time on the ice in the Sharks' 5-2 loss.