NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 13, 2021
The Jets avoid arbitration with Andrew Copp, the NHL won’t pay for players’ COVID insurance at 2022 Beijing Olympics, several Canadian teams prepare for full capacity this season and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets avoided salary arbitration with Andrew Copp, reaching an agreement on a one-year, $3.64 million contract.
Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Jets sitting $5.797 million over the $81.5 million salary cap. Teams are allowed to sit above the cap by 10 percent during the offseason but must be compliant when the season opens in October.
One way could be putting sidelined center Bryan Little ($5.291 million) on long-term injury reserve but that still leaves him over the cap. They could also attempt to trade someone like Nathan Beaulieu, trade or demote Sami Niku and demote Ville Heinola and/or Dylan Samberg.
NEW YORK POST’s Larry Brooks tweeted the NHL Players Association has alerted its members the NHL won’t pay for COVID insurance at the 2022 Winter Olympics or Olympic qualifiers. “League position is that players will not be paid for games they miss because of COVID if contracted at Olympic events.”
Brooks also indicated the PA has presented the International Ice Hockey Federation the cost of insurance but was told international federations wouldn’t pay. He said the PA “strongly advises players not to participate in Olympic qualifying events.” He said talks are ongoing.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect this to drag on for long. A decision on NHL participation in the 2022 Games is supposedly expected by the end of August.
SPORTSNET: The Winnipeg Jets will require all fans to be fully vaccinated to attend games at Canada Life Centre this season. The club’s parent company said season ticket holders made it clear that this was their preference. They intend to fill the arena for the Jets’ home games. Fans will also be required to wear masks in the arena.
THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks are considering measures similar to those of the Jets for access to their home games at Rogers Arena this season.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs expect to have full capacity for this season. They’re awaiting the green light from Ontario’s health minister.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Access to arenas of Canadian NHL clubs will depend upon provincial health guidelines. The piece indicates the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers have no restrictions on attendance in their arenas. The Montreal Canadiens are expected to be close to capacity to start the season. Their plans could be affected by the rising number of COVID-19 Delta variant cases.
TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks skills coach Paul Vincent gave investigators his account of abuse allegations leveled by two players against former video coach Bradley Aldrich. Vincent said he first heard of the allegations from Blackhawks defenseman Nick Boynton when the club was in San Jose for the 2010 Western Conference Final.
After speaking with Boynton, Vincent said he spoke with the two alleged victims for 10 minutes and shared the allegations with the club’s sports psychologist, James Gary, and security officer Brian Higgins. Higgins’ lawyer told TSN his client did work at the United Center during the 2009-10 season but didn’t officially start working for the Blackhawks until October 2010. The lawyer said Vincent’s statement that he informed his client of the allegations was false but Vincent is sticking to his story.
Vincent also said he was subsequently called into a meeting with team officials including Gary, team president John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, and vice-president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac. He said he was informed by MacIsaac the team was looking into the matter and he didn’t have to worry about it anymore.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read the full story at the link above. It comes with a caution that it contains references to sexual assault. The internal investigation by the Blackhawks is ongoing and details will be publicly shared upon its completion.
THE ATHLETIC: The lawsuits and the investigation into the Blackhawks’ handling of the sexual assault allegations have some of their fans evaluating their loyalty to the club.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed defenseman Slater Koekkoek to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $925K.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: The Walt Disney Company will pay the NHL $350 million to buy its 10 percent stake in Disney Streaming Services.
OTTAWA SUN: Charges have been withdrawn against an Ontario Provincial Police officer accused of fraud in the sale of a hockey stick once used by Wayne Gretzky.
I am impressed Chevy got Copp to sign for what he did , although only for one year.
Jets have lots of depth on D , moves will be made at some point.
depth maybe but not good depth … I do actually like Schmidt & Dillon, about time he added to his blueline …
No surprise the NHL isn’t covering the COVID insurance for players heading to China, and frankly I can’t see any reason they would be expected to. They already don’t want players going because the NHL inevitably loses a star player or two to injuries from the olympics. Players want to go, onus for their insurance for activity outside their team-signed contract should be on them. My employer doesn’t pay for my travel insurance when I go on vacation either.
This underlines that NHL players should not go to the Olympics. Still too much risk.
My employer does. Although not updated for COVID yet. Likely be a clause for vaccination soon.
NHL are contractors though. So depends on contract I suppose
No? In Canada every job I’ve ever had that wasn’t a part-time retail job included personal travel coverage as part of the benefits package.
Jets have depth on D, really?
Having 8 guys signed doesn’t mean depth when it includes Beaulieu and Niku.
Which Nate Schmidt do the Jets have, the Canuck or the Knight?
Consider that he nixed the move to the Jets at first, you think his agent told him there was no interest in him?
The D looks very suspect to me .
Andrew Copp was a good signing, too bad its only for one year.
factor in Heinola and Sanmburg who will push for NHL jobs soon.
your comment holds no value to me coming from a guy who told me Mike Reilly was crap and would not make top 8 on the Habs a month before the trade deadline and then went on to be top6 for the Bruins. You obviously do not watch much hockey aside from the Habs .
Mike Reilly was shipped off by the Habs and the Sens for the same reason, beautiful skating with frequent brain cramps brought on by low hockey IQ.
He wouldn’t make either team this year and its only testament to the Bruins weak D that he’s in their “top 6”
We’ll see at the end of the year if the Jets weak D is still a concern in Winnipeg or if it has satisfactory depth.
Reilly has been quite inconsistent during his career. Now that he has a 3 year contract signed, sealed and delivered, the inconsistent Reilly will show up again real soon.
I like what the Jets did. If healthy they are a contender IMO.
Good team.
habfan30, yes the Jets have depth on D; Nathan Beaulieu played well for them and they missed his physical play when he got injured.
Logan Stanley, Sami Niku, Dylan Samberg and Ville Heinola are all considered to be on track for the Nhl and solid prospects. So yes they have depth with quality upside.
That’s funny. The Habs missed his physical play when he was playing.
Nathan Beaulieu, a highly first round pick in 2011.
Has been traded for a 3rd round pick, then for a 6th round pick….there’s a pattern there.
His contracts have gone from $2.4 to $1 to $1.2 after 10 yrs. a pattern there too.
Jets mgmt has a different value for the guy than you do.
Habsfan30 the jets paid 1.25 per season 2 years.
which was a bump from his 1m salary
Sorry he didn’t pan out for Montreal as a first round selection.
Winnipeg nor their fan base see Beaulieu as a first pairing or a second pairing however he is a solid third pairing.
Can’t get caught up on where he was selected can only go by his development and where he is at today.
FIFA pays the insurance for the players in International matches.
Hockey players are playing for their country and the globalization of the game and shouldn’t have any personal expenses.
Given the current situation with Canadians imprisoned in China, a boycott of the Olympics is definitely possible. I love Olympic hockey but I wouldn’t mind a boycott at all.
I’m quite looking forward to an Olympic boycott.
I’ll watch the World Jr’s for my international fix. I’d be incredibly disappointed if Canada were to send any representatives to these winter games.
Ya, I get the make a point part, but Canada boycotting the Olympics doesn’t accomplish much other than bring attention to it. For like a day in the rest of the world.
Get the US to join along and then maybe. The timing did seem odd, coming right after we detained Huawei exec, and founder’s daughter Meng Wanzhou. Who we detained as part of extradition treaty with US, where she is charged.
Hey and if we could get other democratic nations to do the same you have something. And most of all, corporate sponsors. Call me skeptical that happens.
Otherwise the only folks who pay a price are the Canadian athletes.
Somebody has to step up first and I’d be fine if Canada grew a backbone and did it.
Ray, I generally agree with 100% of your posts on here, but if I may………
What price are the hockey players actually paying by not attending and supporting an Olympic event being held by a country that is holding their fellow countrymen captive? I’m not even going to touch on Tibet, Taiwan, or the racial issue there, because this isn’t the proper forum for that, but it just doesn’t “feel” proper to me, to support these particular games, given the circumstances surrounding the two Michael’s.
Maybe I’m wrong here, but I don’t think I’m far off.
I value your opinion, because you have made me think, reconsider and even question my own stances several times over the years, so I’m looking forward to your response.
To Lyle, if this is poor form, I’ll shut it down at this post.
Agree with everything you said SOP.
And NHL players will be fine, I’m talking about the actual amateurs who train for years for this 1 opportunity.
Again agree with all the ethical reasons you give, 100%.
Just call me jaded that anyone actually gives a crap other than some of us who pay attention.
I would support it if they did, and feel bad for the athletes who are not professionals.
How about we just penalize corporations who continue to do business with them and give them the resources to do what they do?
Agreed