The Seattle Kraken have made a splash in free agency, signing goalie Philipp Grubauer to a six-year deal worth $5.9 million annually Wednesday, the team announced.

The deal comes after Grubauer and his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, were unable to come to a contract agreement. Those discussions carried over into Wednesday, sources say, before Grubauer eventually signed with Seattle.

Grubauer was a Vezina Trophy finalist last season and backstopped the Avalanche to the Presidents' Trophy.

Grubauer, 29, picked the right time to have the best season of his nine-year career. He led the league in shutouts with seven. He was second in wins (30) and goals-against average (1.95) and eighth in save percentage (.923).

Before being traded to the Avalanche in 2018, Grubauer was a part-time player in Washington for six seasons. Last season's production came at a great price since Grubauer was playing on a three-year deal with a cap hit of only $3.33 million per season. He was due a raise, but Colorado was pinched after paying star young defenseman Cale Makar and captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Colorado is now on the search for goaltending help.

The Kraken, meanwhile, have a surplus of goalies. They selected Chris Driedger, Vitek Vanecek and Joey Daccord in the expansion draft. Driedger was poised to be the top goalie in Seattle next season, and agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Kraken.

Seattle now may to try to leverage its position of strength, and trade one of the younger goalies. Sources say the Washington Capitals reacquiring Vanecek, 25, is not out of the question.

The Kraken also have a deal with former Panthers forward Alex Wennberg on a three-year deal with an annual average value of $4.5 million.

Wennberg had a career-high 17 goals last season. He added 12 assists in his only year in Florida. The 26-year-old's best season came in 2016-17, when he had 59 points for Columbus.

HOUSTON -- As the Houston Texans took the field for their first day of training camp on Wednesday morning, all eyes were on quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Watson reported to training camp this past Sunday after requesting a trade from the Texans in January. Less than two months later, the first of 23 lawsuits was filed accusing Watson of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. He currently faces 22 active lawsuits.

Despite the legal situation, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach David Culley said Watson's presence at training camp has not been a distraction.

"It's not been a distraction at all," Culley said when he addressed the media on the first day of camp. "Very professional about everything, just like all the guys who have been here. It's been business as usual."

Watson participated in individual drills during practice Wednesday but did not take part in any team drills -- other than to stand in as a scout-team safety. Culley said that was because Watson did not show up for the team's offseason program and needed to get acclimated to the team during this "ramp-up" period.

"Not going through the offseason, especially with the nature of the way the league is right now with the limited reps, and the limited things that we can do during the offseason ... we want to make sure that during this ramp-up period, that nothing happens," Culley said. "I mean, guys throw too much, guys' arms get sore. And we want to make sure none of those things happen."

Culley declined to say whether he expects Watson to be on the team at the start of the season.

"We'll kind of take it one day at a time, and ultimately, we're going to do what we feel is best for the Houston Texans," Caserio said when asked about Watson's future with the team.

Watson did not speak to the media after practice, but three of his teammates -- wide receiver Brandin Cooks, running back David Johnson and safety A.J. Moore -- all declined to comment about the situation.

The NFL said in a statement Tuesday that the league is still in the process of its investigation into allegations against Watson and did not put any restrictions on the quarterback taking part in club activities.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, who has openly opposed the NFL's policy on COVID-19 vaccinations, attempted to clarify his stance Wednesday, saying his gripe with the league is over the differing standards for vaccinated and unvaccinated players.

"I'm not anti- or pro-vax -- I'm pro-choice," Beasley said, reading from a prepared statement after the Bills' first practice of training camp. "With that being said, the issue at hand is information being withheld from players in order for a player to be swayed in a direction he may not be comfortable with.

"When dealing with a player's health and safety, there should be complete transparency regarding information that is vital in the decision-making process. Without having all the proper information, a player can feel misguided and unsure about a very personal choice. It makes a player feel unprotected and gives concerns about future topics regarding health and our ability to make educated decisions."

The NFL's policy, which heavily restricts unvaccinated players while allowing a return to near normalcy for vaccinated players, sparked criticism from Beasley last month, when he tweeted that he was not vaccinated and would continue to "live my one life like I want."

The NFL policies include more frequent testing, masks and social distancing in the team facility and during team travel for unvaccinated players.

It was the frequency of testing, however, that Beasley was most critical of: Unvaccinated players will have to be tested daily under the policy governing preseason and training camp, while vaccinated players will only be required to test every two weeks.

"It's common sense that if a vaxxed or unvaxxed player is tested less frequently, the likelihood of a player being pulled for COVID drops dramatically," he said. "In regard to player safety, I'll conclude by saying we all want to be safe.

"For so many players around the NFL, safety does not solely mean avoiding the COVID virus. Our health is the now and years beyond, which we are trying to protect with our personal choice while doing all the things we did in our protocol during a very successful 2020 NFL season."

Bills general manager Brandon Beane briefly discussed the team's vaccination rate Wednesday, saying it is just over 80%. Beane also said he does not believe Beasley's or any other player's comments about the vaccine on social media will detract from the team's overall focus now that training camp has begun.

"Sometimes stuff gets out in social media -- you don't know how to interpret it," Beane said. "You know, I've had a lot of conversations with some of the guys. ... It's tough. Guys are trying to educate themselves, they're trying to look at all sides. But we've got professionals, and we allow them to express their views.

"As long as it's not going to be a distraction, and that's the point that Sean [McDermott] and I have both made. We don't believe anything is. I think when we get out here, back on the grass playing football, you'll see where our guys are focused. They're focused on winning."

Beasley had a career-high 967 receiving yards on 82 catches last season, his second with the Bills.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers admitted he considered retirement, detailed his offseason-long standoff with the Green Bay Packers and said he still isn't sure what -- if anything -- will change.

But he's back for a 17th season, and while there was plenty to parse from his 32-minute news conference following Wednesday's first training camp practice, the crux of the matter is this:

"I just want to be involved in conversations that affect my ability to do my job," Rodgers said.

When asked if he has gotten any assurances that it will happen, he said: "I'm not sure."

Rodgers spoke at length about how he has been disappointed about veteran players the Packers have either released or not re-signed at various points in his career. In fact, he rattled off the names of nearly a dozen players -- from Charles Woodson to Julius Peppers to Randall Cobb, who is actually returning to the Packers in a pending trade with the Houston Texans.

"I wanted to help the organization, maybe learn from some of the mistakes in the past ... and about the way that some of the outgoing veterans were treated," Rodgers said. "And just the fact that we didn't retain a number of players that I felt like were core players to our foundation, to our locker room. High-character guys."

In perhaps one of the most detailed answers he's ever given, Rodgers spent the first five minutes and 41 seconds taking reporters through a timeline of his offseason. He said:

• In February, he met with the Packers and "expressed my desire to be more involved in conversations." He also offered to help entice free agents to sign with the Packers.

"The fact I haven't been used in those discussions is something I wanted to change moving forward," Rodgers said. "And I felt like based on my years, the way I can still play, that that should be a natural part of the conversation. As that progressed from that point, nothing really changed on that front."

Rodgers said from there the conversations turned toward their commitment to him for not only the 2021 season but beyond.

"That really wasn't given at any time," Rodgers said. "So for me, I had to assess the situation, not necessarily wanting to be a lame-duck quarterback, especially after an MVP season, which I think you can understand."

• In March, Rodgers said the conversation changed.

"I felt like if you can't commit to me past 2021 and I'm not part of your recruiting process in free agency, if I'm not a part of the future, then instead of letting me be a lame-duck quarterback, if you want to make a change and move forward, then go ahead and do it," Rodgers said.

• In April, after ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news that Rodgers had told people in the organization that he did not want to return to the Packers, that's when contract talks started.

"I think what basically happened is they said, we'll give you some money now," Rodgers said. "Let's see if we can throw some money at you. I said from the start it wasn't about the money. Obviously I didn't show up for the offseason program or minicamp. To me, it was bigger than this. It was about trying to be a resource for the organization that I care about and love so much.

"The other part is, the backstory to that, is there's a part of me that did think there would be conversations about an extension based on my cap number this season and next season. It seemed natural based on the way I played to at least have a conversation about it. There wasn't a conversation, not until into May."

• In May and June, while Rodgers had skipped the entire offseason program, he said: "Nothing really changed throughout the summer."

"There were obviously some developments in the last week or so," Rodgers added. "But I was really working on myself and my own mental state throughout the summer and at various points decided if I wanted to even keep playing, but the fire still burns and I wanted to be on the football team. We've got some things figured out in the last few days."

Rodgers practiced in full on Wednesday, taking all the first-string quarterback reps while Jordan Love moved down to No. 2. Rodgers made a couple of MVP-caliber throws -- a 20-yard corner route for a touchdown to Equanimeous St. Brown and a red-zone touchdown to Davante Adams.

"There's still a big competitive hole in my body that I need to fill," Rodgers said. "And as I got back into my workouts I just realized that I know I can still play and I want to still play, and as long as feel I can give 100% to the team, then I should still play."

While it's clear Rodgers felt slighted by the organization that drafted him in 2005 to eventually replace Brett Favre in 2008, he also said he didn't want to be portrayed as a victim.

"I'm not a victim here," Rodgers said. "I made a ton of money here, and I've been really fortunate to play a long time and to play here. At the same time I'm still competitive and I still feel like I can play, I proved it last year."

Rodgers still doesn't know what his future holds beyond this season and said that while he has not ruled out a return to the Packers, he also has not been told he would be able to dictate where he could play in 2022 if he chooses to.

While it's clear his beef has been with upper management, he said he had never asked for general manager Brian Gutekunst to be fired and called their relationship "professional."

Rodgers went into great detail about where he thinks things have gone awry, which made it worth wondering if he really wants to be back.

"I do, I do," he said. "I love my teammates. I love the city, love my coaches. It is a lot of fun to be back here."

The G League Ignite is finalizing a deal with USC associate head coach Jason Hart to be the program's new head coach, sources told ESPN.

Hart, a nine-year NBA veteran, takes over an NBA-run program that produced two of the projected top picks in Thursday's NBA draft: forwards Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

Hart, 43, replaces Brian Shaw, who is joining the LA Clippers as their top assistant.

The G League Ignite has been signing top American and international prospects to play with and against G League veterans to prepare them for entry into the NBA draft. The Ignite are based in California, but are expected to play a more traditional G League schedule this year after participating in the G League bubble in Orlando last year.

Hart has been at USC since 2013, serving as associate head coach for the past four years. He was a second-round NBA draft pick in 2000 after leaving Syracuse as the school's all-time leader in steals and second in assists.

As a USC assistant, he worked with several NBA players, including Atlanta's Onyeka Okongwu, De'Anthony Melton and Chimezie Metu.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested in the Los Angeles area early Wednesday morning following an alleged altercation with a police officer, TMZ Sports reported.

"We have been made aware of the incident involving Jaxson Hayes," the Pelicans said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "We are working in conjunction with the NBA and Jaxson's representatives to gather more information and will have no further comment at this time."

According to TMZ's report, police were called to a Los Angeles area home because of a domestic disturbance, and Hayes tried to prevent officers from entering the property.

A fight reportedly ensued that sent Hayes, who was tased, to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. An officer involved in the incident also sought treatment. The officer's condition is unknown.

Hayes, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, averaged 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Pelicans last season.

The Cincinnati Reds made a move to improve their bullpen before the trade deadline, acquiring right-handed reliever Mychal Givens from the Colorado Rockies.

In exchange for Givens, the Reds sent right-handed minor leaguers Case Williams and Noah Davis to Colorado.

Givens, 31, has a 2.73 ERA in 29⅔ innings this season and has a 3-2 record. He has a career ERA of 3.36 and also has 21 saves in seven seasons.

The trade is the second made by the Reds to improve their bullpen in consecutive days. On Tuesday, they acquired right-hander Luis Cessa and left-hander Justin Wilson from the New York Yankees for a player to be named.

Williams, 19, is 2-5 with a 5.55 ERA in 13 appearances (12 starts) in Class A this season. Davis, 22, is 3-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 13 starts at the Class A level this season.

The trade marks a return to the Rockies' organization for Williams, who was selected in the fourth round by the franchise in the 2020 draft. Colorado had traded Williams to the Reds in a four-player trade last November to acquire reliever Robert Stephenson.

The Reds entered Wednesday's games in second place in the National League Central, seven games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The Rockies are in fourth place in the NL West, 19½ games behind the San Francisco Giants.

The Oakland Athletics acquired center fielder Starling Marte from the Miami Marlins in exchange for left-hander Jesus Luzardo on Wednesday.

The Marlins also sent cash considerations to Oakland. The amount of money wasn't disclosed, but sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that Miami sent more than $4 million to Oakland to cover the remainder of Marte's contract.

"We felt like Starling was frankly the best position player that was out there on the market," A's general manager David Forst said before the team's game in San Diego. "We've always said when the team performs and puts itself in a playoff position, it's on us to do whatever we can to try and help them.''

The A's, who began the day six games behind AL West leader Houston, also acquired left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin this week from the Chicago Cubs.

"We've added two really solid pieces to help this team over the next two months,'' Forst said.

Marte, 32, is hitting .306 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs and has 22 stolen bases in 25 attempts for the Marlins. He missed time this season with a fractured rib.

Luzardo, 23, is 2-4 with a 6.87 ERA in 38 innings pitched. He has made 13 appearances, including six starts. He was sidelined for four weeks in May after he broke the pinkie on his pitching hand when he thumped a table while playing a video game.

Marte, who is a career .288 hitter, is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. Luzardo is under team control through 2025.

Miami made the deal after it was unable to reach an agreement with Marte on a contract extension.

The Marlins are last in the NL East and are expected to make more moves before the trade deadline Friday.

Marte was an All-Star for Pittsburgh in 2016, and the A's are his fourth team. He joins an outfield that also includes Ramon Laureano and Mark Canha.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Typically, NHL free agency begins on July 1 each offseason: a cherished tradition on Canada Day up north, and a pre-Independence Day festival of commerce for those of us in the United States.

On July 1, 2021, the Stanley Cup had yet to be awarded. But 27 days later, we are ready for the frenzy to begin.

While the key dates have shifted, the goal of free agency has not: GMs around the NHL hope to land the game-changing veteran who can boost their contention status or bolster their core with the glue that builds championships.

Here's our continuously updated tracker, featuring a list of every player signed, along with analysis on the biggest deals and buzz on what could happen next. Note that the newest deals are at the top.

More: Team previews | Free-agency buzz
Draft recap: Every pick | Takeaways

July 28

All signs point to UFA G Jonathan Bernier signing with New Jersey today.
As we reported before, UFA G Jaroslav Halak should be signing with Vancouver.
I wonder if UFA G James Reimer ends up in SJ or Vegas?
Still lots to play out with goalies.@TSNHockey @TheAthletic

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 28, 2021

July 27

Avalanche and captain Gabriel Landeskog come to terms on an eight-year, $56 million contract extension.

After coming over at the trade deadline last season, Brandon Montour will continue his employment with the Panthers, signing for three years, $10.5 million.

Restricted free agent goaltender Eric Comrie signs on for one more year at $850,000 with the Jets.

Defenseman Mike Reilly was a popular name for many teams looking for blue-line help, but the Bruins took him off the market with a three-year, $9 million deal.

Restricted free agent forward Drake Caggiula will be back with the Sabres, thanks to a one-year, $750,000 pact.

The Stanley Cup runner-up Canadiens have elected to bring back forward Joel Armia on a four-year, $13.6 million deal.

Forward Taro Hirose will be a Detroit Red Wing for the 2021-22 season, courtesy of a one-year contract.

The suspense is over: Alex Ovechkin will be returning to the Capitals via a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension.

Following being traded to the Blues, RFA forward Pavel Buchnevich signs a four-year, $23.2 million contract.

After being dealt to the Canucks last week, forward Conor Garland inks a five-year, $24.75 million contract with Vancouver.

Unrestricted free agent forward Kyle Rau inks a deal with the Wild, for one year and $750,000.

Red Wings come to an agreement with forward Kyle Criscuolo, for two years and an undisclosed salary.

July 26

Paul Stastny will continue on with the Winnipeg Jets for at least one more season, inking a one-year, $3.75 million extension.

The Flyers have been busy re-working their blue line, but will continue their business relationship with Sam Morin via a one-year, $750,000 pact.

Center Sam Bennett was quite effective for the Panthers following his trade there at the 2021 deadline, and he'll stick around for four more years and $17.6 million.

Restricted free agent forward Nathan Walker sticks with the Blues by way of a two-year, $1.5 million deal.

Restricted free agent defenseman Frederic Allard returns to the Predators via a one-year, $750,000 pact.

Florida elects to re-up with two restricted free-agent defensemen: Lucas Carlsson and Noah Juulsen. Both received one-year contracts.

July 25

Veteran blueliner Marc Staal will continue his stead with the Red Wings, inking a one-year, $2 million deal.

Kings will continue to work with restricted free-agent forward Trevor Moore, signing him to a two-year, $3.75 million contract.

July 24

One of the NHL's best young defenders will not be changing sweaters for a while. Cale Makar and the Avalanche agree on a six-year, $54 million contract.

July 23

Following his trade from the Blue Jackets, defenseman Seth Jones signs an eight-year, $76 million deal with the Blackhawks.

Taylor Hall's plan worked. After coming over via trade from the Sabres at the deadline -- and impressing during the regular season and playoffs -- he re-ups with the Bruins for four years, $24 million.

July 22

Barclay Goodrow was a key part of the Lightning's repeat Cup championships, and after his trade to the Rangers, he signs a six-year, $21.85 million deal.

Former first-round pick Michael Rasmussen inks a three-year, $4.38 million deal to continue his development with the Red Wings.

After his trade from the Hurricanes, 2021 Calder Trophy finalist Alex Nedeljkovic signs a two-year, $6 million deal with the Red Wings.

Veteran netminder Mike Smith, who had a bit of a renaissance in 2021, signs on for two more years with the Oilers, and will earn $4.4 million for that tenure.

July 21

The Kraken begin their tenure as a franchise with a trio of veteran free-agent deals: Goaltender Chris Driedger (three years, $10.5 million), defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (five years, $23 million) and defenseman Adam Larsson (four years, $16 million).