Bruins Un-Sow Oates

Around the NHL

The Boston Bruins on Thursday stripped the assistant captain’s “A” off Adam Oates’ sweater in response to his criticism of team management.

Oates, 34, has been the assistant captain since he was traded from St. Louis in 1992 and has led Boston in scoring in each of his four full seasons there. He is a three-time finalist for the NHL’s sportsmanship award.

Oates angered the Bruins this week when he ripped management for failing to upgrade the team’s talent.

“We’re getting worse every year. Now we’re doing it with less and less guys, and I think it’s upstairs,” Oates said Tuesday. “They’re not doing their job.”

Ramsey ends retirement

Former National Hockey League defenseman Mike Ramsey, 36, who retired at the end of last season, will rejoin the Detroit Red Wings next week.

Ramsey, 36, will join the team on Tuesday and is expected to be ready to return to action in two weeks, Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman said.

Expansion list narrows

The NHL announced six finalists for expansion franchises. The list includes Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Columbus, Ohio, Nashville, Tenn., one of three groups from Houston, and Oklahoma City.

Members of New Mexico’s Maloof family, who owned the NBA Houston Rockets from 1980-82, were in Florida on Thursday to discuss the possible purchase of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning franchise.