The Seattle NHL franchise has hired its first round of scouts -- including former Team USA star and Hockey Hall of Famer Cammi Granato, who will become the NHL's first female pro scout.

Granato's hiring continues a trend for the NHL's newest team -- scheduled to enter the league for the 2021-22 season -- which is committed to "a diverse slate of candidates for every role." The franchise is currently at just over 60 employees; more than 50 percent of its vice presidents are females.

The Calgary Flames have agreed to a three-year contract with restricted free agent Matthew Tkachuk, the team announced Wednesday.

The new contract has an average annual value of $7 million, the highest on the team.

The defending Stanley Cup champions made a big move ahead of the 2019-20 season, trading for Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk, and subsequently signing him to a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension.

The Blues sent prospect Dominik Bokk, defenseman Joel Edmundson and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Hurricanes. Along with Faulk, the Canes sent the Blues

Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is facing a disorderly conduct charge after being involved in an incident in May in his hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona.

According to court records, Matthews, 22, is being charged with disruptive behavior or fighting. He has a pretrial conference scheduled for Wednesday morning. The summons was issued July 23.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are aware of the complaint of disturbing the peace against forward Auston Matthews," the Maple Leafs said in a statement released Tuesday. "Auston is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities, but neither he nor the Club will comment any further out of respect for the process involved."

Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt still cares whether you believe he's a cheater -- almost as much as he cares about never seeing another player go through the humiliation he has endured.

"No one in the world can say that they don't care that people think they're a cheater," Schmidt told ESPN after a Knights preseason game last week.

"If I'm the last guy it ever happens to, I'm OK with that."

Another of the big restricted free agents is off the board with the Tampa Bay Lightning signing center Brayden Point to a three-year, $20.25 million deal.

"We are very pleased to re-sign Brayden today," Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said in a statement. "He is the consummate professional with an unwavering commitment to team success, growing as a player and improving every day. It is that mindset that makes him an outstanding role model, teammate and person, on and off the ice. We look forward to getting Brayden back on the ice with his Lightning teammates as soon as possible."

Work has begun on a $1.3 billion arena for the New York Islanders hockey team at Belmont Park.

The 19,000-seat arena will also include shops, restaurants and a hotel. Work is expected to be completed in time for the 2021-2022 season.

Until then, the Islanders will play home games at the Nassau Coliseum and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Thomas Chabot has agreed to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the Ottawa Senators.

Chabot had one season remaining on his entry-level deal.

"At the end of the day, to be here for the next nine years and build something together with the group and get something going and be a real competitive team within the next couple years, this can only be exciting," Chabot said.

Chabot was the 18th pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Dan Girardi has retired from the NHL after 13 seasons.

Girardi appeared in 927 games, finishing with 56 goals, 264 points and a plus-78 rating.

The NHLPA announced that it will not exercise its option to reopen the collective bargaining agreement following the 2019-20 season. The NHL previously decided not to trigger its opt-out clause, meaning the current CBA will remain intact through the 2021-22 season.

"While players have concerns with the current CBA, we agree with the league that working together to address those concerns is the preferred course of action instead of terminating the agreement following this season," NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said in a statement. "We have been having discussions with the league about an extension of the CBA and expect that those talks will continue."