NHL notebook: Cup-winning Trotz named Isles coach

Reports put the price tag on the five-year deal at up to $4 million per
season, which would more than double what Trotz, who turns 56 next month,
would have made with the Capitals.

The Cup victory over the Vegas Golden Knights triggered a contract extension
for Trotz at well below market value -- $1.8 million per season -- and he and
the Capitals failed to come up with an amicable solution in negotiations.

Trotz is the first coach since 1994 -- Mike Keenan -- to not return to the NHL
champions the following season because of a dispute. Stan Bowman retired after
a 2002 Stanley Cup win.

--Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford missed the final 47 games of
last season but should be ready to start the 2018-19 regular season, general
manager Stan Bowman told reporters.

Crawford was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 1 with a lower-body injury and
returned to action on Dec. 8. He played in seven games before landing on IR
again on Dec. 27 with what the team termed an "upper-body" injury that
sidelined him the rest of the season.

While the Blackhawks never specified Crawford's injury, the Chicago Sun-Times
reported in January that the 33-year-old was dealing with "vertigo-like
symptoms." The Blackhawks went on a skid once Crawford went down, finishing
the season 33-39-10 and missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in
10 years.

--On the eve of the NHL draft, general managers for all 31 teams received
clarity for possible trades as the league and NHLPA revealed that the 2018-19
salary cap will rise $4.5 million to $79 million.

General managers looking to make big deals before and at the draft also found
out that the cap floor will be $58.8 million salary for next season.

The new salary-cap increase more than doubles the spike before last season's
$75 million cap, which was up $2 million from 2016-17. Commissioner Gary
Bettman had told reporters following the Board of Governors meeting Wednesday
that the cap for next season was expected to wind up between $79.5 million and
$80 million.

--The NHL released its complete 1,271-game schedule for 2018-19, headlined by
an Oct. 3 season-opening slate including the home opener for the Stanley Cup
champion Capitals plus three games in Europe and two outdoor games.

The Capitals will raise a Cup banner for the first time in franchise history
before they host the Boston Bruins in one of four games to launch the NHL
season. Washington currently holds a 12-game regular-season winning streak
against Boston.

The following day, the Stanley Cup runner-up Vegas Golden Knights will begin
their second season at home against the Philadelphia Flyers. The first rematch
of this year's Stanley Cup Final will happen on Oct. 10 when the Capitals host
the Golden Knights.

--Field Level Media