Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella ripped the game officials and the NHL in a fist-pounding tirade after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Lindsey Vonn popped the question to New Jersey Devils star P.K. Subban.

Vonn linked a picture of herself and Subban with the ring, with the couple wearing matching striped pajamas in front of a Christmas tree with three dogs in the foreground. She also posted a close-up of Subban flashing the ring, with the words "drip drip" and a blue teardrop.

Devils general manager Ray Shero said trading winger Taylor Hall to the Coyotes on Monday wasn't related to whether or not the team could sign the pending free agent to a long-term extension.

"No. To paint that picture where he didn't want to play here or asked for a trade or demanded a contract ... that wasn't the reality, nor is it that he didn't want to potentially play here or that we didn't want to sign him," said Shero, who pointedly said that Hall "never turned down any offers" from the Devils.

The Chicago Blackhawks concluded their investigation of abuse allegations against suspended assistant coach Marc Crawford, and the team announced Monday that he will resume assistant coaching duties on Jan. 2.

The Blackhawks said in a statement that they believe Crawford has taken steps to deal with his behavior and has learned from his past actions. They also noted that there have been no reported incidents during Crawford's tenure with the team.

With high expectations, the Sharks announced Wednesday night that they fired coach Pete DeBoer after an underwhelming first third of their season.

Bob Boughner, an assistant coach with the Sharks, takes over on an interim basis, the team said in a statement.

The team also let go assistant coaches Dave Barr and Steve Spott and goalie coach Johan Hedberg, replacing them with associate coach Roy Sommer, assistant coach Mike Ricci and goaltending coach Evgeni Nabokov. Dan Darrow will remain in his current role of assistant coach for video.

The NHL's cautious optimism about the next World Cup of Hockey arriving in February 2021 has turned into absolute fatalism.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said there will not be a World Cup held 14 months from now, despite deputy commissioner Bill Daly's speculation during the offseason that the sequel to 2016's event could arrive by then.

"We can't do it this quickly," Bettman said.

Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan on Tuesday said Mike Babcock's coaching tactics were not "appropriate or acceptable," addressing allegations of mental abuse by the team's former coach for the first time.

"Times are evolving. We have to evolve," Shanahan said at the NHL Board of Governors meeting. "We all came from a certain generation where things occurred to us as players that we just sort of accepted. We all have to do a better job of just creating that kind of work environment on the ice and off the ice."

The Dallas Stars fired coach Jim Montgomery on Tuesday "due to unprofessional conduct."

The team did not elaborate on the conduct in its statement.

"The Dallas Stars expect all of our employees to act with integrity and exhibit professional behavior while working for and representing our organization," Stars general manager Jim Nill said in the statement. "This decision was made due to unprofessional conduct inconsistent with the core values and beliefs of the Dallas Stars and the National Hockey League."

The Calgary Flames have a deal for a new downtown arena, a 35-year agreement that keeps the NHL club in the city for that time.

The team, the city and the Calgary Stampede rodeo signed an agreement Thursday to replace the 36-year-old Scotiabank Saddledome.

Matt Stajan retired Tuesday after 14 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.

The 35-year-old two-way center announced his decision in a statement through the NHL players' union.