National Hockey League roundup

Chuck Greenberg, a former managing partner and CEO of baseball's Texas Rangers, is "close" to a deal to purchase the Hurricanes for $500 million, Bloomberg reported Thursday.

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Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference officially announced his retirement after 16 seasons in the NHL.

Ference spent the last four seasons with the Oilers and served as the team's captain from 2013-15.

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New York Rangers first-round pick Lias Andersson agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract.

The 18-year-old Andersson, who was the seventh overall pick of the 2017 draft, registered 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) and a plus-21 rating in 42 games this past season with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

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The San Jose Sharks signed forward Rudolfs Balcers to an entry-level contract and re-signed forward Chris Tierney to a one-year contract on Thursday.

Balcers collected 77 points (40 goals, 37 assists) in 66 games with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League.

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The Winnipeg Jets signed restricted free-agent forward Andrew Copp to a two-year, $2 million deal, the team announced on Thursday.

In 64 games for the Jets last season, the 24-year-old scored nine goals and added eight assists.

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The Vancouver Canucks re-signed center Michael Chaput to a one-year, one-way contract at $687,500.

Chaput, 25, recorded nine points in 68 games in his first year with the Canucks.