NHL News and Notes: Trade Deadline, Draft Age, Sharks, Devils, Oilers, Predators and Senators
The Nashville Predators announce Ryan Ellis will be out for four to six months
On the NHL trade deadline …

Renaud Lavoie: The NHL announced the NHL trade deadline will be on Monday, February 26th, 2018.

On the NHL draft age …

Darren Dreger: There is talk once again about raising the NHL draft age to 19 years old. This talk has been going on for years.

On the San Jose Sharks …

Kevin Kurz: San Jose Sharks assistant GM Joe Will said they don’t plan on having anyone at training camp on a PTO.

Curtis Pashelka: The Sharks signed defenseman Jacob Middleton to a three-year entry-level contract.

On Jack Skille

Igor Eronko: Jack Skille signed with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL.

On the New Jersey Devils …

New Jersey Devils: The Devils will bring defenseman Tim Erixon to training camp on a PTO.

On the Edmonton Oilers …

Mark Spector: Edmonton Oilers winger Anton Slepyshev injured his ankle while training. He’ll miss their training camp and may not be ready for the start of the season.

On the Los Angeles Kings …

Eric Stephens:  LA Kings 2017 first round pick Gabriel Vilardi will miss their rookie and main training camps because of a back injury.

Jon Rosen: Kings GM Rob Blake on Vilardi: “Gabe has already begun his rehabilitation and continues to work hard. The injury is something that flared up throughout the summer.”

On the Nashville Predators …

Thomas Willis of NHL.com: The Nashville Predators have announced that defenseman Ryan Ellis will be out for four to six months after having offseason knee surgery. A return will be expected to be closer to six months – in the new year.

Ellis won’t start skating for approximately three more weeks, and then they’ll monitor his status from there.

On the Ottawa Senators …

Stephen Whyno of the Ottawa Citizen: Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson had offseason foot surgery to repair torn tendons. It’s not looking like he will be ready start the season. He hasn’t really been able to do anything since in the June surgery.

“It’s going to be a while,” Karlsson said in an interview with The Associated Press at the annual NHL/NHLPA media tour. “We’ll see when I can start skating again. We don’t have a timeline for that, either. I think once I do that, we will know a little bit more clearly when I’ll be able to play again.”