NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 6, 2022

by | Aug 6, 2022 | News, NHL | 11 comments

A look at what David Pastrnak’s contract extension could look like plus the latest notable contract signings in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss recently examined what he believes David Pastrnak’s contract extension could look like. The 26-year-old Bruins winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Goss points out Pastrnak’s value to the Bruins as one of the NHL’s most-skilled forwards. Since 2019-20, only five players (Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid and Kyle Connor) have scored more goals than Pastrnak. He suggests an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million per season would be fair for both sides, matching defenseman Charlie McAvoy as the highest-paid Bruin.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty believes Jonathan Huberdeau’s eight-year, $10.5 million contract with the Calgary Flames sets the table for Pastrnak’s new deal. He points out the Bruins winger is three years younger than the 29-year-old Huberdeau but has averaged more goals and points in his career with the Bruins than Huberdeau did in his career with the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is going to get a lucrative long-term contract between $9.5 million and $10.5 million per season. He’s getting it from the Bruins on an eight-year deal or from another club in next summer’s free-agent market on a seven-year contract.

The Bruins’ expensive commitment to McAvoy indicates they have no plans of rebuilding their roster. I expect they’ll pay out a massive raise to Pastrnak and use those two as their foundation players going forward.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators forward Yakov Trenin has signed the two-year contract he was awarded via arbitration. The deal is worth an average annual value of $1.7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trenin, 25, is coming off a career-best 17-goal performance in 80 games last season. The 6’2”, 201-pound forward plays a physical two-way game and can skate at left wing or center. The arbitration award is a significant raise over the $725K AAV of his previous contract.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights avoided salary arbitration with Keegan Kolesar, signing the 25-year-old forward to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $1.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A versatile, physical checking-line forward, Kolesar had 24 points in 77 games last season with the Golden Knights. He earned an AAV of $725K on his previous contract.







11 Comments

  1. If David gets or should I say wants more than 9.5 cut him loose, rebuild. Pastrnak’s a star, a natural scorer but, he’s no Patrick Kane, or Crosby. This is getting ridiculous, you’ve got to hold the line somewhere. Sick of the pettiness Why can’t he just settle for nine why does everybody have to be so damn greedy.

    • Rick you probably know the answer as yes itc can come down to bragging rights, ego and swag but we cannot forget that agents also get a cut so,..If some agents are getting top notch dollars for their respective client, maybe others players want to hop on that agents coat tails so to speak.

      So every agent shoots high and lol they probably cant stand hearing some players taking hits and giving the team a cap break by playing for less!

      It’s hard for me to fathom Boston doing a total rebuild as they are always in the mix of things (playoffs) and yes they seem to eventually going down competively considering what other teams around them are trying to build.

      Maybe it will take a 1st round sweep by the Leafs to wake them up, but for now I feel they will just try to keep replacing players and aiming for that individual talent blueprint without ever tearing it down completely.

    • Totally agree if Sweeney throws ~$10m at Pasta then what’s left after Bergy, March and Krejci are gone for signing UFA’s with 25% of the cap in two players. Either way Sweeney better sign Pasta to a tradable contract or get stuck with no tradable accepts and big shoes to fill.

  2. From last night . Sparky “Nurse would be lucky to make flames top 4”
    I would just like to add hahaha , have another one, maybe not so strong this time .

  3. Vegas is one of those approximately 15 teams who still have some major roster adjustments to do before the season starts.

    With the Kolesar signing they now sit $2,794,643 over the cap with just 17 signed, and have two RFAs left to re-up, the two Nicolases!

    C/RW Roy is coming off an expiring ELC of $750,000 after scoring 15g 24a 39 pts and a +12 over 78gp, while LD Hague comes off a $791,667 deal after poting 4g 10a 14pts and a +6 over 52gp.

    If Kolesar got $1.4 mil after a mediocre 7g 17a 24 pts and a -6, expect Roy and Hague to come in at at least $2 mil each, which would put them $6,794,643 over the cap and with just 19 signed.

    They do have the Weber LTIR ($7,857,143) to invoke but that would barely cover the over and with no room to add others. Since they must have 2 goalies, that would leave them 17 skaters – and that’s just a no go.

    So, who gets dealt … and where?

    Looks good on them!

    • Who is responsible for the Vegas lunacy !!

      McCrimmon or McPhee
      I never understood the Gallant firing ?

      Cassidy should be an upgrade behind the bench .
      Boston is behind him, I am sure he will tweak any personality errors he had in the past .

      • McCrimmon, after 26 years as GM of a Major Junior team without ever being concerned with things like cap management, is suddenly thrust into a GM role at the NHL level, with McPhee – who is renowned for trading Filip Forsberg to Nashville for Martin Erat and Michael Latta – whispering constantly in his ear from his elevated position as president of hockey operations – or some such.

        Small wonder they are a non-playoff team in Cap Hell.

  4. I can see Pastrnak getting $10.5MM/year, considering what Gaudreau & Huberdeau, both older than him, got. But I think that, considering the ages of some of Boston’s core players, not rebuilding will be a mistake.
    I also wonder when we’ll see the first $15MM/year player and who it will be.

    • PB

      I too believe he can get that on an 8yr deal. But. Sweeney is always been very good at getting star players to take less than market value. I think he will sign same as Charlie. 9.5 for 8. Or right around there and no way he is traded unless he says not resigning

    • PB

      As for your 15m question I think it will be either McDAVID. OR NATTHEWS

      • Yet, if you are building for the long term, an elite goalie may well be the best bet as the key piece for a team looking to compete for a decade (which may be a different question than maximizing three years for a cup window). Decade-good goalies are scarce; hence may well be underpaid for what they bring to an organization. Funny too, as there are so many teams feeling that they everything it takes but a goalie to win…. Makes one believe the Finnish system may be onto something emphasizing the position.