Headlines

  • Avalanche Sign Jared Bednar To Contract Extension
  • Philadelphia Flyers Fire Chuck Fletcher
  • Boston Bruins Extend David Pastrnak
  • Boston Bruins Acquire Tyler Bertuzzi
  • Ottawa Senators Acquire Jakob Chychrun
  • Detroit Red Wings Extend Dylan Larkin
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Chris Lee

Chris Lee Retires From Professional Hockey

September 3, 2018 at 3:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

For fans tuning into the 2017 World Championships, a player stuck out like a sore thumb on the blue line for Team Canada. Wearing number 42 among the other NHL stars was a face that few recognized, but would learn to appreciate by the end of the tournament. Chris Lee stepped into a roster spot and ice time vacated by an injured Tyson Barrie and recorded two points in seven games en route to a silver medal. Lee had never played in the World Championships—or any major international tournament—for Canada before, and had no prior NHL experience.

Lee at the age of 36, had parlayed a 65-point season in the KHL into an invitation to the tournament where he played exceptionally well. Success in the KHL wasn’t a new experience for Lee, who had been one of the best offensive defensemen in the league since coming over from the German DEL and Swedish SHL—two other leagues he dominated in his short time there. There was also successful stints in the AHL prior to that, but they never even earned him an NHL contract let alone a sniff of the highest level of professional hockey.

The undrafted defensemen signed a professional tryout with the Los Angeles Kings for their 2017 training camp, but didn’t make the team. He returned to the KHL and Metallurg Magnitogorsk while also suiting up for Canada at the Olympics. He wore an “A” as an alternate captain of that squad, which wasn’t allowed to include NHL players this time around. An Olympic bronze medal came about this time around, but the Gagarin Cup was out of reach in 2018 for his KHL squad.

Last night in a lengthy ceremony, Lee’s retirement and career was honored by Magnitogorsk as his number was raised to the rafters. The team released a “thank you” article, and Lee even received a star outside the arena. A two-time Gagarin Cup champion, Lee goes down as one of the extreme oddities in the history of Canadian international hockey competition, at least in the modern era. Never given a chance at the NHL level and overlooked for much of his career, he still found incredible success on the ice as a player.

Chris Lee| KHL| Olympics| Retirement| Team Canada

0 comments

Hockey Canada Names 25 Players To Pre-Olympic Tournament

November 30, 2017 at 4:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Hockey Canada has released another roster for a pre-Olympic tournament, this time the Channel One Cup in Moscow from December 13-17. This and the Spengler Cup—which is scheduled for December 26-31 in Switzerland—are the final two tournament looks for Team Canada before they send a roster to Pyeongchang.

We learned earlier today that Jarome Iginla wasn’t going to make it back from his hip injury in time to play in either tournament, making him a long shot for the Olympic squad. This group, which includes many of those who’ve already suited up international for Canada this year, will likely make up most of the eventual roster sent to South Korea. The 25-man team is as follows:

F Wojtek Wolski
F Matt Frattin
F Derek Roy
F Taylor Beck
F Ryan Garbutt
F Eric O’Dell
F Brandon Kozun
F Rene Bourque
F Linden Vey
F Gilbert Brule
F Matt Ellison
F P.A. Parenteau
F Max Talbot
F Teddy Purcell
F Rob Klinkhammer

D Karl Stollery
D Shawn Lalonde
D Chay Genoway
D Chris Lee
D Maxim Noreau
D Simon Despres
D Stefan Elliott
D Mat Robinson

G Ben Scrivens
G Barry Brust

Ben Scrivens| Chris Lee| Gilbert Brule| Jarome Iginla| Karl Stollery| Linden Vey| Team Canada

4 comments

Olympic Preview: Hockey Canada Announces Karjala Cup Roster

October 26, 2017 at 2:51 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

The roster for the Karjala Cup has been announced for Team Canada, and it represents a sneak peek at who will likely suit up for the country at the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics. Canada has joined the tournament—held November 8th-12th in Finland—as a sort of tune-up for the Olympics, and their roster is littered with former NHL players.

Perhaps the most interesting name though is Dylan Sikura, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect who returned to the college ranks this season for his final year. Chicago was willing to sign him this spring after his junior year, but Sikura instead returned to try and win a national championship with Northeastern. A sixth-round pick, Sikura could become a free agent next summer, but is almost guaranteed to sign with the Blackhawks when his year ends. His addition could be big for Chicago down the stretch, as he represents another talented offensive threat.

The full roster can be found below

F Wojtek Wolski
F Mason Raymond
F Derek Roy
F Brandon Kozun
F Eric O’Dell
F Gilbert Brule
F Rene Bourque
F Matt Ellison
F Quinton Howden
F Dylan Sikura
F Andrew Ebbett
F Matt Frattin
F Christian Thomas
F Rob Klinkhammer

D Karl Stollery
D Zach Whitecloud
D Chay Genoway
D Chris Lee
D Maxim Noreau
D Simon Despres
D Jesse Blacker
D Geoff Kinrade
D Mat Robinson

G Ben Scrivens
G Justin Peters

Ben Scrivens| Chris Lee| Gilbert Brule| Karl Stollery| Mason Raymond| Olympics| Team Canada

3 comments

Chris Lee Signs One-Year Deal In KHL

October 26, 2017 at 12:41 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

One of the best stories in hockey last year was Chris Lee, the 37-year old defenseman who turned an invite to the World Championships and a freak injury to Tyson Barrie into a showcase for his talent. Lee had never played a game in the NHL, but suddenly was thrust into a key role on Team Canada after Barrie was injured while wrestling in his hotel room. He found immediate success as a puck-moving piece for the Canadians, logging two assists in seven games.

Lee tried to spin his silver medal performance into an NHL contract, but after attending training camp with the Kings on a professional tryout, has now signed a one-year deal to return to the KHL according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. Lee will suit up for his old team in Magnitogorsk, where he registered 65 points last season.

The intriguing part will be whether Lee suits up for Team Canada once again in Pyeongchang at the 2018 Winter Olympics, now that he won’t be tied to an NHL team. The veteran defenseman, who logged four successful years in the AHL before heading overseas, would likely be one of Canada’s best options. His experience in the KHL may prove even more important than his skill, as the Russian Olympic team will be made up almost exclusively of KHL talent.

Chris Lee| Injury| KHL| Los Angeles Kings| Team Canada| Tyson Barrie

2 comments

Poll: Which PTO Has The Best Chance Of Making An NHL Roster?

September 5, 2017 at 12:58 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

Teams all over the league are starting to hand out professional tryouts, with Jyrki Jokipakka being the latest with the Washington Capitals. Every year we see some veteran players looking for one last chance, and AHL tweeners trying to claw their way into the NHL. Many of the names that have been given PTOs already won’t play in the NHL this season, and some of them may not play professional hockey at all.

Still, there are almost always a few that earn themselves an NHL contract either with the team whose camp they’re attending, or somewhere else around the league. Kris Versteeg parlayed a PTO with the Edmonton Oilers into a contract with the Calgary Flames last year, and was important enough that he warranted an extension this summer.

17 tryouts have officially been handed out up to this point, with some interesting names among them. Players like David Booth and Ryan Malone have had a lot of success at the NHL level but have been away for several years, while others like Chris Lee are trying to prove that they’ve been overlooked for some time. Who do you think is the most likely to earn a contract at the end of training camp?  You can select as many players as you want from the list of names, and leave a comment if you think they’ll sign somewhere else around the league.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Chris Lee| David Booth| Free Agency| Jyrki Jokipakka| Polls

2 comments

Chris Lee To Attend Training Camp With Los Angeles

August 27, 2017 at 5:17 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

Defenseman Chris Lee tore up the KHL last season and will now get his first crack at making the NHL at the age of 36.  John Hoven of Mayors Manor reports (Twitter link) that Lee will attend training camp with the Kings on a PTO deal.

Last season, Lee led all KHL blueliners in scoring with 65 points (14-51-65) in 60 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.  He followed that up with another 21 points (1-20-21) in 18 postseason contests as his team reached the Gagarin Cup Finals before being beaten by SKA Saint Petersburg.

His performance earned him a spot on Canada’s entry into the World Championships where he fared relatively well.  He suited up in seven games, collecting two assists while averaging 11:02 per game although that average is skewed from some games where he was listed as the seventh defenseman.

Lee will look to crack a Los Angeles blueline that hasn’t had a whole lot of turnover this offseason.  Matt Greene was bought out and Brayden McNabb was lost in expansion while Christian Folin was added from Minnesota.  Accordingly, Lee should have a real chance to make their roster.

[Related: Updated Kings Depth Chart]

Last month, his agent noted that he was only interested in a one-way contract if Lee was to return to North America.  If he doesn’t receive one from the Kings or any other team at the end of camp, he’s expected to return overseas and likely suit up for Canada’s entry into the Olympics.

Chris Lee| Los Angeles Kings

2 comments

Snapshots: Lee, Jagr, Culkin

July 29, 2017 at 2:15 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

One of the more intriguing defensemen still available on the open market is Chris Lee.  The 36-year-old has yet to play in the NHL but is coming off a strong season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL (where he led all defensemen in scoring with 65 points in 60 games) while also making a strong impression with Team Canada at the World Championships back in May.

Accordingly, his agent Peter Cooney told Ken Campbell of The Hockey News that five or six NHL teams have kicked the tires with regards to Lee’s asking price.  The holdup seems to be that no team is offering a one-way deal as of yet and Cooney noted that if the best offer that’s received is a two-way one, he’ll stay overseas where suiting up in the Olympics would be a distinct possibility.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

  • While some have wondered if free agent winger Jaromir Jagr could potentially go back to Pittsburgh to end his career, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that GM Jim Rutherford has no interest in bringing Jagr in. The 45-year-old played spent 11 seasons with the Penguins from 1990-91 through 2000-01, collecting 1,079 points in just 806 games.  While he’s undoubtedly past his prime, Jagr did put up 46 points in 82 games with Florida last season, showing he can still produce at the NHL level.
  • Unrestricted free agent defenseman Ryan Culkin, who wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer by Calgary last month, has inked a one year deal with AHL Tucson (affiliate of the Coyotes), the minor league team announced. Culkin split the season between the AHL and ECHL levels and while he was productive in the latter (12 points in 16 games), he didn’t have much success in the AHL as he was held off the scoresheet in a career-low 19 contests.

Arizona Coyotes| Chris Lee| Jaromir Jagr| Pittsburgh Penguins| Snapshots

1 comment

Snapshots: Lee, Updated NHLes, Draft Prospects

May 24, 2017 at 7:20 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett Leave a Comment

Only one member of Canada’s silver medal-winning team at the World Championships was from outside the NHL, and he wants that to change.

Chris Lee has played the last four seasons with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL. He’s also played in the DEL and SHL in the seven years he’s spent overseas. In 2016-17, Lee scored 65 points in 60 games to lead all defensemen in the KHL by 27 points, setting a KHL record. Using Rob Vollman’s NHL equivalencies (more on those later), Lee would have had 66 points in the NHL this season. That would have put him fourth in the NHL behind only Brent Burns, Victor Hedman, and Erik Karlsson. Obviously it’s somewhat unlikely that a 37-year-old rookie would score 66 points, but Lee’s NHLe demonstrates that there is a player there. He drew into the Canadian’s lineup after Tyson Barrie was injured in a hotel room wrestling match with a teammate. Lee had two assists in seven games with Canada.

KHL insider Aivis Kalniņš reported that the 6′, 185 lbs Lee has left Magnitogorsk with hopes of signing in the NHL. One team who could be interested is the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres recently signed Lee’s KHL defensive partner Viktor Antipin and could look to re-unite the pair in North America.

  • Back to NHL equivalencies (NHLe), Rob Vollman recently released updated translation factors. The number is essentially an educated estimate of how a player’s stats would translate to the NHL. Here’s a look at the updated numbers. To use Lee as an example, he scored 65 points in 60 games. Sixty-five points in 60 games works out to 88 points in 82 games. But because the KHL is a lesser league than the NHL, you multiply 88 by 0.74.
KHL 0.74
SHL 0.58
AHL 0.47
Liiga, NLA 0.43
Hockey East 0.38
Big 10 0.33
CHL 0.3 to 0.25
  • Looking back at recent top draft picks since 2010, most are in the 40-point range. There were some notable exceptions in 2015, with Connor McDavid posting a 67-point NHLe. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Dylan Strome all had 50-point-plus NHLes.
  • Speaking of high draft picks, Corey Pronman released an unusual draft ranking over at ESPN (Insider post). Pronman ranked top picks of the last five years based on his views of them on draft day. This leads to some unusual rankings, like Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick being ranked above Leon Draisaitl. Pronman’s top five featured McDavid, Patrik Laine, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and Eichel. Other oddities include Jesse Puljujärvi being ranked sixth, above players like Aaron Ekblad (9), Mitch Marner (13), and William Nylander (15).
  • This draft class tops out at Hischier at 22, Patrick at 24, Gabriel Vilardi at 25, Cody Glass at 28, and Nick Suzuki at 29. The 2017 draft has the fewest players in Pronman’s top 30, while 2014 leads the way with seven.

Chris Lee| KHL| NHL Entry Draft| Snapshots| Statistics

0 comments
    Top Stories

    Avalanche Sign Jared Bednar To Contract Extension

    Philadelphia Flyers Fire Chuck Fletcher

    Boston Bruins Extend David Pastrnak

    Boston Bruins Acquire Tyler Bertuzzi

    Ottawa Senators Acquire Jakob Chychrun

    Detroit Red Wings Extend Dylan Larkin

    New York Rangers Acquire Patrick Kane

    Edmonton Oilers Acquire Mattias Ekholm

    Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty

    New Jersey Devils Acquire Timo Meier

    Recent

    College Notes: Farrell, Boston University, Minnesota, Gibson

    Penguins Reassign Dustin Tokarski

    Blackhawks Send Down Anton Khudobin

    West Notes: Kurashev, Kolesar, Johnsson, Knyzhov

    Robert Mastrosimone Unlikely To Sign With Detroit

    College Notes: Polin, Colangelo, Quillan

    Lightning Prospect Isaac Howard Transfers To Michigan State

    Sharks Sign Henry Thrun

    East Notes: Roslovic, Harris, Joseph, Greig

    Jakob Chychrun To Miss Multiple Weeks

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Coyotes Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version