NHL

Ex-NHL player Dave Gove -- a member of the Carolina Hurricanes 2006 Stanley Cup team -- died this week and officials believe a heroin overdose is to blame.

Gove struggled with addiction and had entered a rehab facility in Pittsburgh. He was reportedly found dead at the treatment center on Wednesday with bags of heroin near his body, according to KDKA.

Gove only played briefly in the NHL before becoming a coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins minor league hockey team in West Virginia.

While Gove wasn't a star on the Hurricanes, he did get a Stanley Cup ring -- which he eventually auctioned off in 2015.

Former NHL star Mike Comrie -- once married to Hilary Duff -- is under investigation by the LAPD for allegedly raping a woman at his L.A. home, but he claims it was consensual ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us the woman claims she met up with Comrie at a bar Saturday night and went back to his West L.A. condo. She claims he raped her multiple times.

The woman says she almost immediately went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center nearby, and a rape kit was administered.

Sources connected with Comrie say he's known the woman for a long time and acknowledges he had sex with her, but insists she gave full consent. The sources also say the encounter was a 3-way and the other woman has not filed any complaint.

We're told so far Comrie has not spoken to cops.

How good is Justin Bieber at hockey? So good that an NHL goalie thinks he'd be helpless to stop the scoring machine from Toronto.

Bieber again showed his ice skills this past weekend ... scoring a pretty sick goal in the celebrity game during the NHL's All-Star festivities ... and getting roughed up a little too.

We got Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford -- an All-Star himself -- out at LAX and asked him if Justin would've gotten his point had Crawford been in goal.

If you thought he was gonna diss Bieber ... it's not too late to say you're sorry.

Fifth Harmony canceled their singing gig at the NHL All-Star game after Dinah became sick and had to be treated by paramedics ... TMZ has learned.

Sources at The Staples Center tell us the girls were prepping to sing the National Anthem at Saturday's game when Dinah fell physically ill. We're told someone from the dressing room asked for paramedics who put Dinah on a stretcher.

Our sources say Dinah was evaluated by EMTs but the decision was ultimately made not to transport her to a hospital.

Listen up, ladies ... Erin Andrews is about to tell you how she almost messed up one of the sweetest storybook proposals of all time ... and the culprit was HER FEAR.

Stanley Panther says he was BETRAYED by his own NHL team -- claiming he was unfairly fired as the team mascot after a serious bout with depression because the honchos didn't like his attitude.

Rick Fox is serving up a big "I Told You So" to anyone who balked at his prediction League of Legends would outgrow the NHL ... and says their recent historic sell out of Staples Center is proof he was right.

We had talked to Fox a little while ago at LAX (guy flies more than Superman) and he'd told us he thinks eSports has a chance to pass the NHL as the nation's fourth sport.

Some balked at the idea ... but that was before the recent League of Legends championships sold out Staples center in an incredible 45 minutes and drew 36 million viewers ... something that doesn't happen in the NHL.

When we got Fox -- who, of course, owns an eSports team -- at LAX ... it was time for the 3 time champion to win another ring ... at gloating.

Tampa Bay Lighting winger J.T. Brown didn't get all of his aggression out on the ice Monday night -- smashing a fan's iPhone moments after he was sent to the penalty box after an all-out brawl.

Brown went straight Conor McGregor on Nashville Predator defenseman Ryan Ellis after a blindside hit in the 3rd period.

As Brown was sent off the ice, Preds fan Brendan Johansen began to heckle him ... and that's when Brown reached up and smashed the cell phone.

We spoke with Johansen who says he's not mad and isn't taking any legal action -- but says he hopes the Lightning will spring to get him a new phone ... because his screen got shattered in the mayhem.

As for the game, the Predators won 3-1.

Wayne Gretzky isn't afraid of losing his seat at the top of the all-time regular season goals list ... matter of fact, he HOPES Alex Ovechkin passes his total of 894.

TMZ Sports ran into the Great One at LAX ... when we asked him if the Washington Capitals star could break his nearly untouchable goals record.

"I hope he does, he's a great player." Gretzky says. "Records are made to be broken."

Gretzky also shares why he doesn't golf with PGA's star son-in-law, Dustin Johnson ... and it's a pretty legitimate reason. Check it out.

NHL legend Jeremy Roenick says Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem protest is "pretty disgusting" -- and he believes coaches should be allowed to bench players who follow Colin's lead.

TMZ Sports spoke with Roenick specifically about NHL coach John Tortorella -- who's also coaching Team USA in the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.

Tortorella recently warned his players if they sit during the National Anthem, they will sit for the entire game. Some people are pissed ... Roenick is NOT one of them.

NHL legend Jeremy Roenick says he wants to personally mentor Justin Bieber on the ice -- telling TMZ Sports he GUARANTEES he can take JB's skills to the next level.

Roenick says he saw the new hockey footage Bieber posted online this week -- and was genuinely impressed ... but says the guy has serious room to grow.

"He's pretty tough up top, I don't know about the calves and the thighs though ... it's a little weak."

So, what's the plan?

Jeremy says he'll put together a REAL comprehensive hockey-based workout plan for Bieber -- noting, "I will make you a WAY better hockey player."

NHL superstar Evander Kane just pled not guilty to charges he got physical with several women at a Buffalo bikini bar back in June ... and says VIDEO evidence will prove he did nothing wrong.

The Buffalo Sabres star was arrested earlier this month -- after officials say he got violent during a night at Bottoms Up bar on June 24th.

According to media reports, Kane allegedly yanked one of the women by the hair and grabbed her throat while pushing her into his car.

The bouncer tried to break it up and Kane put his hands on him too. The entire incident was reportedly captured on security video.

But on Monday, Kane went before a judge in Buffalo City Court ... and pled NOT GUILTY to criminal trespassing, harassment and disorderly conduct.

If found guilty, Kane faces up to 90 days in jail ... however, first time offenders are rarely locked up, according to the DA.

Kane is due back in court on September 9th.

Ray Bourque's blood alcohol level was more than 3 TIMES the legal limit when the Boston Bruins legend was arrested for drunk driving this weekend ... this according to the police report.

55-year-old Bourque -- considered one of the greatest defensemen of all time -- was arrested in Andover, Mass. on Friday night after allegedly rear-ending a minivan at 11:30 PM.

Cops arrived to the scene and arrested Bourque -- who admitted to "having a few drinks" at the Andover Country Club, according to the police report obtained by the Eagle Tribune.

Bourque appeared in court earlier today and pled not guilty to OUI -- operating under the influence.

Bourque issued a statement -- saying, "For the first time in my life, I find myself in unfamiliar territory. I am not happy about the situation I put myself into on Friday night."

"I am a very proud person that accepts the responsibility of my actions and have always accepted being in the media eye."

P.K. Subban says he's sick of being known as the black guy in the NHL -- and would rather be known as "one of the best players in the league" ... regardless of race.

The Montreal Canadiens superstar was out at The Nice Guy in Hollywood Monday night -- when we asked him what it was like being one of only 20 black players in the league in 2015.

"I like to be recognized as one of the best players in the league, not just a black player," Subban told us.

FYI-- Subban's been a stud on the ice ... a 2-time All Star and the 2013 James Norris trophy winner for best defensive player in the league.

Pretty big opportunity for ex-NHLer-turned-actor Sean Avery ... who says he just locked up a role in Mark Wahlberg's new movie about the Boston Marathon bombings.

Avery posted a pic of himself in a Watertown PD uniform ... just days after announcing he got a role in "Patriots Day."

FYI -- The Watertown PD heroically hunted down the terrorists who placed the bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Unclear how big of a role Avery will have, but he's clearly excited about it.

As for Wahlberg, he was actually in character at the Marathon Monday to shoot scenes for the movie ... which co-stars John Goodman, Kevin Bacon and J.K. Simmons.

Question: How drunk is too drunk at a hockey game?

Answer: When you sloppily fall out of your seat and crush the guy in front of you ... this according to a new lawsuit.

A guy named John Cooke is suing the Chicago Blackhawks claiming he was enjoying the game at the United Center on May 23rd ... until some drunk jerk sitting behind him got so hammered, he couldn't stand up straight.

The fan says people complained about the drunkard to security and arena staff -- but no one did anything.

Problem is ... when the Blackhawks scored a goal in the 1st period, the drunk fan lost his balance and fell down 2 rows, allegedly crushing Cooke in the process.

Cooke says he suffered injuries in the drunken disaster -- and he's suing the team and the United Center claiming the guy should have been kicked out long before he had a chance to fall on people.