Off the Ice: McPhee gets Vegas GM job, Crosby on Cup

UNDATED (AP) — George McPhee has been hired as general manager of the NHL's expansion Las Vegas franchise.

He'll be in charge of building the team from scratch to begin play in the 2017-18 NHL season.

The longtime former Washington Capitals GM has most recently served as special adviser to New York Islanders GM Garth Snow. McPhee spent 16 seasons with the Caps, before being fired in 2014.

The 58-year-old McPhee also helped construct back-to-back gold-medal winners for Canada at the past two world hockey championships.

In other hockey news:

• The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward J.T. Miller, who had career highs of 22 goals and 21 assists last season. Miller has been a sparkplug for the Blueshirts since making his NHL debut in February 2013.

• The Edmonton Oilers have signed Jesse Puljujarvi, the fourth overall pick in last month's NHL draft. He gets a three-year, entry-level contract after scoring 13 goals and 28 points in 50 games for Karpat of the Swedish "A'' league last season.

• The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed forward Teemu Pulkkinen to a one-year, $812,500 contract. The 24-year-old Pulkkinen had six goals and 12 points in 36 games for the Wings last season, missing much of the year after dislocating his right shoulder.

• As Sidney Crosby prepares to carry the Stanley Cup through his Nova Scotia hometown, he said the championship tour is in many ways sweeter the second time around. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this week overseeing his annual hockey cam. He will bring the Cup to the city for a parade on Saturday, ending at the same rink where he honed his skills as a boy. During a break Wednesday from working with excited kids at the Cole Harbour rink, Crosby reflected on a season that had its ups and downs — and a championship ring that was all the brighter as a result. Crosby said, "This time I appreciate it a little bit more."

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