NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2022

by | Jul 4, 2022 | News, NHL | 38 comments

The Lightning traded Ryan McDonagh to the Predators, the Jets officially hire Rick Bowness, an update on David Perron and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning traded defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Sunday to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Grant Mismash.

Tampa Bay Lightning traded defenseman Ryan McDonagh to the Nashville Predators (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois indicated this was a cost-cutting move. The cap-strapped club clears most of McDonagh’s $6.75 million annual average value through 2025-26 from their payroll. However, BriseBois took pains to point out this was a result of a flattened salary cap. He obviously didn’t want to move McDonagh, who played a key role in the club’s recent championship successes.

Cap Friendly indicates the Bolts are over $933K above the $82.5 million cap, though they can get $6.875 million in cap relief with permanently sidelined defenseman Brent Seabrook on their long-term injury reserve list. It might not be the only move they make in order to find sufficient space to re-sign or replace pending unrestricted free agents such as Ondrej Palat, Jan Rutta and Riley Nash.

BriseBois also dismissed speculation he would buy out Myers, saying they’ve really liked the blueliner since his junior days. He carries a $2.55 million cap hit for 2022-23.

McDonagh put on a brave face on the trade, saying he believes the Predators have the pieces to win a Stanley Cup and accepting the move as a business decision. However, McDonagh’s agent said his client was crushed about being traded just days after the Stanley Cup Final.

The deal leaves the Predators with $18.1 million in cap space with 18 players under contract through 2022-23. A new contract for pending UFA Filip Forsberg could eat up over $8 million of it.

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets yesterday officially announced their hiring of Rick Bowness as their new head coach. Terms and details of his contract weren’t revealed but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported it was for two years at $2.5 million per season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues management is hopeful of getting pending UFA winger David Perron under contract. The 34-year-old winger is coming off a four-year deal with an annual average value of $4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The article goes on to indicate the problem isn’t finding room for Perron’s new contract within their 2022-23 payroll. It’s how it could affect their 2023-24 payroll when Vladimir Tarasenko, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas will be due for new contracts.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers’ Ken Holland, Calgary Flames’ Brad Treliving and Winnipeg Jets’ Kevin Cheveldayoff are among the general managers under the most pressure this offseason.

Holland must sort out his goaltending and try to re-sign Evander Kane. Treliving must re-sign free agent forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane. Meanwhile, Cheveldayoff must decide if he’ll trade Blake Wheeler or Mark Scheifele and determine what to do with Pierre-Luc Dubois after he signaled his intent to test the 2024 UFA market.

MLIVE.COM: Improving the Detroit Red Wings’ team defense and solving the special teams is among the challenges facing new head coach Derek Lalonde.







38 Comments

  1. I’m in disbelief of the McDonagh trade. Salary cap issues aside, why would they not look for other moves or offering sweeteners to take on other contracts. Myers’ does not replace McDonagh.

    • Great move by BriseBois – I didn’t believe he could offload McDonagh that easily….thought he would need to add a sweetener.

      • Great Move??? Only Hedman received more ice time in the last 2 games. With Sergachev and McDonagh getting the same.

        Losing McDonagh does not make Tampa a better team.

        If McDonagh was crushed why except the trade?

        Nashville is a better team today then they were yesterday.

        Tampa had to do what they had to do.

      • Great cap clearing move, but his on-ice impact will be hard to replace.

      • Caper agree 100%. Cap hit aside, there isn’t an NHL team that doesn’t get better with Mcdonagh on their roster.

      • Caper. I thought it is a great move for Tampa for several reasons. First, the obvious cap clear. Second, I thought one big difference in the series against the Avs was team speed, especially on the D. McDonagh is a descent skater, but will slow down with age. Tampa’s team speed on their forwards was hurt by injury…Point, Cirelli, Kucherov. But they need to get younger and faster, especially if they want to compete for a cup again next year. I look for them to replace McD with a plus skater on the LD, something that McDonagh will be challenged to do in the coming seasons.

    • Nashville could really benefit from McDonagh in that room and on the ice. He powers thru anything
      If I am correct he has played in 4 Cup finals and 7 ECF. That is a lot of playoff hockey

      • He has never missed the playoffs in his entire career

      • Also we can assume Tampa did not want to trade him to another EC contender. Nashvilles tax situation could of been what got him to waive. STL seemed like an even better fit

    • I bet Myers gets bought out, since he could be bought at 1/3 of his remaining salary (due to his age). This would free up even more cap space for TB.
      I bet Palat re-signs, but would they then trade Killorn ?

    • because no one else that is tradable affords sufficient cap space to address other needs now and more importantly next summer.

    • I would think the Preds top priority would be signing Forsberg first not a long in the tooth D man?

  2. Happy Independence Day to all here South of the border

    Kudos (again) to BriseBois…. GM with the magic touch

    I thought it would be very hard for him to convince McDonagh to waive ….. at least no financial loss to McDonagh (no state tax in Nash as well)

    Predz now completely set at LD (Jossi @ 1D, with McDonagh and Ekholm 2A/2B at LD). They needs top 4 RD

    With Seabrook on LTIR…. Bolts just shy of $6 M to sign 2FWDs , 1 D

    In addition …. Bolys can buyout Myers and actually get a Cap bonus

    After buying out Myers….. and withSeabrook’s space…..Bolts would have $9.1M to sign 2 F and 2 D

    UFA (or Crunch promotion) of 14th Fwd and 7th D…. Should leave $7.3 M – $7.5 M to try and re-up Rutta and Pallat

    Rutta (32 this month)…. Has been at$1.3 M for the last 3 years

    Pallat (31); just finished 5 @ $5.3 M

    I believe with a Meyers buyout; BriseBois can now re-up both Rutta and Pallat

    UFA D possibilities:

    PK or M. Staal or Gudbranson 1 year @ $1M ??

    Psyk (who can play both RD & RW)…. $900 K?

    • Saying McDonagh was crushed is a head scratcher. He didn’t have to accept. Great move by Tampa. Sergachev and Cernak both rfa after season. I’m guessing Killorn next to go.

      • I think I understand it from McDonagh’s perspective Slick, or will give it a guess.

        If a team tells you they want to trade you, it means they think they will be better without you. In this case it was their cap situation, not his play on the ice. Only so many rooms at the inn.

        Tough to stay when they tell you that, and also in the room where they also know you got in the way of keeping younger guys long term. Not saying they would turn on you, but it would be on everyone’s mind.

        Krecji said it out loud when he was in trade rumors and was asked the question if he would accept a trade, and he said yes because he didn’t want to play in place that didn’t want him.

        As much as anything the NMC gives the player control of where he goes when he gets traded, not always that he thinks he will play their forever. IMO.

      • Agree Slick

        “Crushed”…. Hyperbole and positioning by Agent

      • Hi Ray

        Fair point….McDonagh viewing his value to team not as important as Cap space

        I’d have said perhaps disappointed

        “crushed” was Agent exaggerating IMHO

        BTW…. Rider 2nd 1/2 much better than 1st 1/2 v Als

    • McDonough has been the consumate team guy both coming and going. Why did he waive NTC? We can’t know but he has been treated well by the Lightning and this leaves the door wide open for a return in some capacity later on. If he stays, the Lightning struggle to be as good though no one would blame him as he is not yet part of the decline. Certainly no force was used (or available). Good that hes out of the Eastern Conf. Bris Bois (and Stevie Y before him)seem to be able to do things difficult in other markets so one is tempted to give Mr Vinick some credit too, if only indirect. I think if Killorn can be moved and younger speed added this might be done as well to help set up for another crunch next year; a reloading rather than rebuilding if you will.

      • When you either draft or trade for all your best players men like Mac are unfortunately the price you pay as an organization for doing things the right way. This move clearly was made to address next summer’s cap space when Cirelli, Sergachev and Cernak are due new contracts. Of course it also supports the option of resigning Palat and Rutta now. Myers essentially is an insurance policy if Rutta can’t be re-signed. But if he is, I expect that to happen quickly and Myers to be gone via the buyout. Killorn wasn’t traded first because his cap space didn’t solve the problem for either this year or next. He may or may not still go but that would depend on what might be available as a more affordable option to replace him. Needless to say with him only having one year left on his deal that will not be a concern next summer.

        All of this was the perfect way to conduct business in an imperfect world.

      • IMO, you Bolt fans are in denial. We all understand why some of the Bolt players need to move but you just lost one of your best D. Do you have anyone in your system who can replace MacDonagh’s minutes?

        I don’t think so, and there isn’t a pond full of replacements for him.

        Yes, teams change yearly, including the Avs. As good as the Bolts have been, this is the year they begin to regress. They have played too many games the past two years to get close to the Cup next year, meaning that is one year off their window. A window that is starting to close.

        The Bolts have been great. They will make the playoffs next year. But to suggest this was a shrewd move as opposed to an amputation is denial.

      • Amputation is a good analogy LJ.
        If you have to lose one, which would you rather lose an arm or a leg?

      • I would choose liposuction, Ray. Too many croissants, cheese and wine in Paris.

    • When Bolts cast about for free agents, the pond seems well stocked. Tampa is a popular ‘retirement’ destination for lots of reasons, and it seems there are lots of folks willing to come down and get an early start for modest pay.

  3. Great pick up for the preds

  4. Rick Bowness selection is a huge disappointment. Signing him to a two year contract is pretty much an admission of that.

    I think Chevy’s job is now on the line. Should have given Trotz a date to respond and then move on to better plan B. Bowness had to be plan W at best.

  5. I agree with the Bowness selection.Why hire a 67 year old retread.Give a young guy a chance.Start trading your cancers and start over with young kids.The jets are at best a marginal playoff team.Why stay with old coaches and disgruntled stale players.The only way to survive is by using cost controlled young talent.Once their players get older they want out of the ridiculous Winnepeg winters and Canadian taxes.

    • Steve R, do you know what the maximum federal tax rate (the rate that would apply to NHL players) is in Canada compared to what it is in the USA?

      Might want to try that magic google machine. You may be surprised.

      After the fed rate it is up to the provinces, same as the USA is up to the states.

      Do you really think the winters are that different in WPG vs Minny? It’s cold in both, and isn’t a selling feature in either.

      • GavinGroup will give comparison taxes for two different franchise

        Best take home is (equally in) Seattle; Dallas; Vegas; T-Bay; Sunrise (Panthers); Smashville…. No state tax

        Highest taxes…. Habs; followed very closely by Leafs/Sens; then Oil/Flames; then ‘Nucks

      • Pengy, what I was referring to with Steve was the max federal tax rate. Canada 33%, USA 37%.

      • Hi Ray

        Sorry, misunderstood

        Humbly apologize

      • @ Ray Bark US has a lot of “write off” loopholes that brings that number down with a good accountant and its much about the weather as it is the tax…Millionaire’s wives don’t like cold weather and whiteout conditions when they have the choice.

      • Somebody posted on here a while ago about how US citizens can avoid the taxes up here Rob, with a link to the detail. So ya, your right about that.

        I think the weather matters more to some than others, if you grow up or live in a winter city for a while, it really isn’t that big a deal. Gotta say white outs are pretty rare and I have lived in the western Canadian prairies my whole life. A place like Calgary that gets 30 chinook days on average it is really nothing to fret about.

        But ya, happy wife matters. Especially if they are from the USA. Methinks plenty of guys meet their wives while playing in the US, and being close to home matters. Regardless of the weather. Maybe that’s why guys from Sweden and Finland seem to not mind Canadian winters, they’re used to it like we are.

  6. As i posted before a stop gap. Bowness signed a two year deal at $2.5m per season.

    Winnipeg hoping Barry Trotz hope to return to the coaching ranks next season in Winnipeg.

    • Hi Pengy, according to Gavin group Alberta has the lowest income taxes in Canada and also has no sales tax.

      California and New York State show less than 1% difference from Alberta.

  7. Jets wanted Trotz. Everyone did. He wasn’t available I’m over it. Moving forward the Jets needed a veteran coaching presence imo to get the train back on the tracks. 2 years gives him a chance to work with the present roster. After that we can reevaluate the term. He is said to be a players coach so we’ll see if he can produce with this team makeup.
    If Trots decides to come back in a year or another good candidate appears we jump on it
    I’m optimistic this will be a playoff year

    • Well said Isotopes, and agree totally that they wanted an experienced coach, and if the stories are accurate regarding a division in the room, that experience will come in handy. Not many things will happen that he hasn’t dealt with before and learned from having spent decades in the NHL as a player and coach.

  8. LJ, nobody is denying in bolts nation that losing McDonagh is bad. But, he’s the only tradable piece that provides the cap space that will be needed this year and next to retain younger faster players. The money in the term was just too costly

    • Yup, got to retool as best you can.. We’ve been watching that team in XXXXX hanging on and hanging on and…..and you’ve got five years of likely great goaltending to help keep the window open while you mix and match a core and FA’s to make a few more runs. Also working without much in the way of high draft choices for that 3-5 yr out period.
      Unfortunate trades are gonna happen, and much as I love Ryan the way he plays he’s always one block away from being out and the bone aren’t getting younger. All of this is easier when the chase was successful twice & the reunions in a few years will still be sweet.