NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2022
Stars owner Tom Gaglardi on the status of contract talks with Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger, the Wild trade Dmitry Kulikov to the Anaheim Ducks, the latest contract signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE SCORE: During an appearance on “The Cam & Strick Podcast”, Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi spoke about the contract talks with restricted free agents Jason Roberton and Jake Oettinger. Both players are restricted free agents coming off their entry-level contracts.
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).
Gaglardi pointed out it takes time to get these deals done. “You’re an RFA, there’s really no deadline, there’s no hurry, and that’s kind of how things go,” he said.
The Stars owner pointed out his club has the cap space to sign them but it’s finding the right fit in dollars and term. “These conversations are happening, I can’t tell you that a deal is imminent, but maybe one of them is more imminent, I don’t know.”
Cap Friendly indicates the Stars have over $10 million in cap space.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: One or both players could be under contract before training camp opens later this month. That leaves roughly three weeks for both sides to sort this out.
Robertson and Oettinger have no real leverage other than to withhold their services by not reporting to training camp until a deal is signed. Both are core members of the Stars roster so management would prefer to avoid them missing any valuable training time or have this situation drag on into the start of the regular season.
TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild traded defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a straightforward salary dump by the cap-strapped Wild, shedding Kulikov’s $2.25 million cap hit for the coming season. The rebuilding Ducks, meanwhile, bring in some additional veteran depth to take some pressure off their younger defensemen.
WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres signed goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a two-year, $1.675 million contract.
Speaking of the Sabres, they’re bringing back their black and red “Goathead” jersey for 12 games this season, starting in November.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: At least it’s not the dreaded “Buffaslug”.
THE SEATTLE TIME: The Kraken signed defenseman Cale Fleury to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers recently signed winger Hayden Hodgson to a two-year, $1.6 million contract. The deal is two-way in the first season and one-way for the second.
TORONTO SUN: Former NHL player and coach Orval Tessier passed away last Thursday at age 89.
Tessier played 59 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins between 1954-55 and 1960-61. He went on to a successful coaching career in Juniors and the AHL, winning the Memorial Cup in 1972 with the Cornwall Royals and the Calder Cup with the New Brunswick Hawks in 1982.
In 1982-83, Tessier became head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Jack Adams Award as that season’s NHL coach of the year. Fired midway through the ’84-’85 season, he became a scout and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Tessier’s family and friends as well as the players who were coached by him.
Orval Tessier was a player I loved to watch when his teams (the Montreal Royals and Quebec Aces of the old QHL) played the Ottawa Senators. He wasn’t the greatest skater in the world, but the guy could put a puck through a 3-inch opening from 50 feet.
The great Jean Beliveau once described him as THE most accurate shooter he ever played with and against.
Great tribute post George. Thanks.
Nice. You have clearly seen some hockey. One day over a beer I will tell you my Rocket Richard story.
Never met The Rocket (saw him play a LOT) … but I did know his younger brother Claude who played for Hull-Ottawa Canadiens (and Sam Pollock) back in the days when I played football for Hull.
George O , hopefully this is a good read and trip down memory lane for you re: Tigers football
https://redandblackrecall.blogspot.com/p/junior-interprovincial-football-league.html?m=0
I had 2 beer with Glen Hall (knew my dad as we are from the same town and I met him as a kid) in a hotel bar during an alumni event.
I was coaching 3A bantam in Calgary and was clueless on how to properly coach the tenders and were just doing the basics along with some drills the association coaching assistant gave us.
He explained and drew out a few on a napkin for me, got pretty into it actually. He would have stayed for another but his wife came down and got him.
Super nice guy.
Many thanks for the link Fergy22. Sure does bring back memories.
The Hull Tigers I played for were the senior entry established by Ottawa Rough Rider legend Wilf Tremblay after the junior Hull Tigers had re-organized to become the Hull Bombers. I did play for the Ottawa Seconds of the IJFL against power-house St. Anthony’s and when I joined the senior team many of those St. Anthony’s players also became Hull Tigers. Fun times.
you are welcome George. It can be difficult to find sports articles from the past but it is great to look back in time and reminisce. Sometimes I regret tossing out old newspaper clippings that had meaning to me.