Top Line: Gretzky-Seattle rumor denied; should Leafs offer Subban?

An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:

• The rumors began flying Friday afternoon that Wayne Gretzky was involved in a bid to bring the NHL to Seattle. Is there any truth to them? Not a chance, says his agent.

• The Toronto Maple Leafs raised their ticket prices ... again. Ken Campbell argues that they should at least reward their fans by tendering a massive offer sheet to Montreal restricted free agent P.K. Subban. As explained by Aaron Portzline yesterday, offer sheets aren't as simple as fans might like to think, but there could be an opportunity here. Even if the Leafs can't get the player, they could at least to hamstring a divisional opponent.

• William Douglas examines how players of color played a key role on draft day and in free agency. If you're not a regular read of his Color of Hockey blog, bookmark it now.

• The Canadiens chose not to make a qualifying offer to heart-and-soul winger Ryan White last week. Dave Stubbs would not let him slip off the roster unnoticed.

• NHL.com is offering a running blog on how the Kings are spending their time with the Stanley Cup. Not always as detail-rich as you might want, but still cool to see what it's up to.

• Is it because they still have that new expansion team smell? Josh Cooper explains why free agents, and players with no-trade clauses, continue to shun the Nashville Predators.

• Speaking of rejection, ask the Maple Leafs how it tastes.

• Are the Oilers and Islanders talking trade? Josh Bailey's name appears to be on the front burner, but Jonathan Willis says he's the wrong target.

• When you hear what Petri Kontiola was willing to do to get out of his Russian contract, you'll know why the KHL is fading as a threat to the NHL If it ever truly was one.

• In honor of the holiday weekend, Rory Boylen has a list of the 10 greatest moments in American hockey history. No. 6 is way too low in my books.

• Buffalo, Carolina and this team rank as the three early favorites to win the Connor McDavid sweepstakes next June.

• Remember when Mikhail Grabovski decided to play pro soccer in Belarus? Maybe he started something. Here comes word that (link in Finnish) Tampa Bay forward Valtteri Filppula is going to play some pro tennis. Man, athletes. They're just like you and me, eh?

• Now that they've signed David Legwand you can scratch the Ottawa Senators off the list of possible trade partners that might be interested in Philadelphia's Vincent Lecavalier. It's looking more and more like GM Ron Hextall will have to swallow a sizable chunk of his remaining salary if he wants to move the veteran.