Jason Payne has been hired by the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones, making him the only Black head coach in North American professional hockey next season.

Payne, 45, was promoted from assistant coach after Cyclones head coach Matt Thomas was hired by the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Payne, who grew up in Toronto, had a 14-year pro career as a player, making it as far as the AHL.

Payne said "there weren't many Black coaches as I was coming up, but when there were, you took notice." Payne hopes his hiring will help inspire others.

The Chicago Blackhawks and defenseman Connor Murphy have agreed on a four-year extension that carries an annual average value of $4.4 million.

Murphy, 28, has become the de facto No. 1 defenseman on a Blackhawks team that has not been strong defensively in recent seasons.

The Nashville Predators have signed forward Eeli Tolvanen to a three-year, $4.35 million deal.

General manager David Poile announced the deal Monday.

The Ottawa Senators signed backup goalie Filip Gustavsson to a two-year contract on Sunday.

The Senators said the first year is a two-way deal worth $750,000 in the NHL and the second is one-way with a value of $825,000.

Carolina tendered an offer sheet to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi on Saturday as the ongoing storyline between the Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens continued.

Two years after Carolina star forward Sebastian Aho received a five-year, $42 million tender as a restricted free agent from the Canadiens, a deal that the Hurricanes matched, Montreal had the tables turned.

Kotkaniemi, a sharp shooter who at times was left out of the lineup as Montreal raced to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, agreed to a one-year contract with Carolina that will pay him $6.1 million.

With his future in Buffalo uncertain, Sabres captain Jack Eichel is changing agents while in the midst of a long-standing dispute with the team over how to treat a neck injury, sources confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday.

The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Jordie Benn to a one-year, $900,000 contract on Friday, adding another veteran option after an offseason of change on the blue line.

Benn, 34, had one goal, nine assists and a plus-7 rating over 39 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets last season.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed No. 1 center Sean Couturier to an eight-year contract extension worth $62 million.

Couturier counts $7.75 million against the salary cap with his contract that begins after next season and runs through 2029-30. It's the same value as the contract Andrei Svechnikov agreed to with the Carolina Hurricanes earlier Thursday.

Forward Andrei Svechnikov has agreed to an eight-year, $62 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, it was announced Thursday.

The 21-year-old Svechnikov had 15 goals and 27 assists in 55 games last season -- his third with the team.

Derick Brassard signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old center, who was an unrestricted free agent, scored 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 53 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season. He was first on the team in face-off percentage (52.6, minimum 15 face-offs taken).