The Nashville Predators announced on Sunday that general manager David Poile -- the winningest GM in NHL history and Nashville's only GM to date -- is retiring after 26 seasons with the club. The move will be effective June 30.

According to a press release, Poile -- who also holds the title of president of hockey operations -- will remain with the organization as an advisor, serving the team's ownership, its business operations leadership group, and the hockey operations department.

Barry Trotz, the first coach in Predators' history, will take over from Poile as Nashville's next general manager. He'll be in charge of "all facets of the Predators' hockey operations department, including the coaching and scouting staffs, player procurement and development, as well as minor league affiliations and operations."

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has returned to D.C. and joined practice Wednesday.

Ovechkin has been away from the team since Feb 14, going home to Russia after the death of his father, Mikhail Ovechkin.

Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar is back in the concussion protocol, coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday, and is expected to miss at least the next two games.

Bednar announced the update to Makar's status during his weekly appearance with Altitude Sports Radio in Denver. Bednar is expected to address the media later Tuesday.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews announced Sunday that he is dealing with symptoms of long COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome.

Toews, 34, hasn't played since Jan. 28. The Blackhawks placed the center on injured reserve Wednesday with what they said was a non-COVID-19-related illness.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are all-in on winning. Now.

That's the message general manager Kyle Dubas sent Friday night when he acquired forwards Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues for prospect Mikhail Abramov, forward Adam Gaudette, the Leafs' 2023 first-round pick, the Ottawa Senators' 2023 third-round pick and Toronto's 2024 second-round pick. The Blues also retained 50% of O'Reilly's $7.5 million cap hit.

Alex Ovechkin will be away from the Washington Capitals to attend to a family matter and the health of a loved one and is expected to be gone for at least the rest of the week, if not longer.

General manager Brian MacLellan announced Ovechkin's absence before the team's morning skate Tuesday.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun will be a healthy scratch for the remainder of this week as trade talks continue, the team announced Monday.

Coach Andre Tourigny informed the media after the Coyotes' morning skate in Nashville that Chychrun will remain out of the lineup. He was scratched for their 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday for what the team called "trade-related reasons."

U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will become the new executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Walsh, 55, succeeds Donald Fehr, who led the NHLPA from 2010 and negotiated on the players' behalf through two collective bargaining agreements with NHL owners.

Blackhawks star Patrick Kane said he has had discussions with his agent about teams interested in trading for him but has yet to decide whether he'll waive his no-movement clause before the NHL trade deadline.

Kane, 34, is in the final season of an eight-year contract that carries a $10.5 million salary-cap hit. With the Blackhawks in a rebuild, there has been speculation this could be his last season in Chicago, a notion Kane hasn't dispelled.

On Monday, Kane admitted he has thought about what playing for another NHL team might be like.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said Thursday that he hopes to remain with the team beyond this season as his contract talks have gotten uncomfortably public.

Larkin, 26, is in the final year of a five-year, $30 million contract with the Red Wings. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.