Malone takes step toward Olympics

In a glimpse of what the U.S. men’s hockey roster will look like at the Pyeongchang Olympics without NHL players, former NHL standouts Brian Gionta, Ryan Malone and Mark Stuart were among the 29 players chosen to play for the U.S. select team in the Deutschland Cup tournament next month in Augsburg, Germany.

Malone, 37, spent most of his NHL career with the Penguins. He last played in the NHL in the 2014-15 season and the big forward has been playing for the Iowa Wild of the AHL.

Bruins

Boston received a doubledose of bad news on the injury front Wednesday. First, team officials confirmed that forward Ryan Spooner will miss the next four to six weeks with a right groin adductor tear. Then veteran goalie Tuukka Rask had to be helped off the ice after a practice collision with rookie Anders Bjork. Boston provided no further details.

Elsewhere

As expected, former Penguins coach and broadcaster Eddie Olczyk was in the NBC Sports booth Wednesday in St. Louis for the Blues’ game against Chicago. Olczyk, 51, who joined partner Doc Emrick, is battling colon cancer and is six weeks into a chemotherapy regimen.

• Former NHL agent Stacey McAlpine has been charged with fraud in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in a case involving former Ottawa Senators players Dany Heatley and Chris Phillips.