NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2023
An update on Robin Lehner’s future with the Golden Knights, the Coyotes avoid arbitration with Jack McBain, the Bruins and Trent Frederic could be heading to arbitration and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger believes the Vegas Golden Knights signing goaltender Adin Hill to a new contract worth an average annual value of $4.9 million speaks volumes about Robin Lehner’s status for 2023-24. The 32-year-old netminder missed all of last season recovering from double hip surgery and shoulder surgery.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (NHL Images).
With Lehner on long-term injury reserve, the Golden Knights are comfortably under the $83.5 million salary cap. If he came off LTIR, however, it would push them over the cap. Lehner is signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $5 million.
A buyout is off the table. If the Golden Knights wish to shed his contract via trade, they’ll likely have to include other assets in the deal.
Given Hill’s new contract and the uncertainty over Lehner’s health, Granger believes the most likely scenario is the netminder remains on LTIR for this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granger acknowledged the possibility of Lehner showing up for training camp in September much further along in his recovery than believed. For now, however, it appears the Golden Knights are proceeding as though that’s not going to happen.
ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes avoided arbitration with center Jack McBain by reaching an agreement on a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.6 million.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Bruins and Trent Frederic are $1.5 million apart in their arbitration filings. The club seeks a two-year contract worth $1.4 million annually while Frederic seeks a one-year deal worth $2.9 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frederic’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1. Meanwhile, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman’s case was heard by an arbiter on Sunday. A decision is expected within 48 hours.
CANUCKS ARMY: David Quadrelli cited Vancouver Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal reporting that Ilya Mikheyev recently resumed skating for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in January. The Canucks forward is expected to be ready for the 2023-24 season.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Philadelphia Flyers and the NHL have submitted that goalie Ivan Fedotov’s contract should be tolled as he missed last season due to military service in Russia. The International Ice Hockey Federation is considering whether his contract with the Flyers or KHL club CSKA Moscow is currently valid and binding.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fedotov signed a contract with Philadelphia last year but wound up drafted into the Russian military. If the NHL prevails, he will play for the Flyers.
Hmmm Lehner to the Sens for the cap space they need? Then he can retire as a Sen–the team where he started.
Please someone tell me that LTIR does not work this way.
Depends what you mean Habman67?
If you are asking if the Sens gain $5M in cap space if they trade for Lehner, the answer is, no, they don’t.
Thanks Ray. So they can’t trade for Lehner as Dark G suggests to get extra cap space.
https://theathletic.com/4243329/2023/02/22/shea-weber-trade-coyotes/
I must be missing something then. As long as the Sens would be certain that Lehner was not returning EVER…or this season at least. They’d be saving the 5.5 million he makes.
I couldn’t read that Dark G, need to subscribe I guess. Is it worth it, maybe I should.
So the $5M cap hit for Lehner would have to be added to the Sens total before it gets subtracted.
Just like it is with Vegas now. Today with Lehner on there they are at $87M and change, then he come off and they are $82M and change. It would impact OTT the exact same way.
The Leafs did something a few years back where they ended up saving a couple hundred K by taking on some LTIR contracts, but not the entire amount. How that worked I have no flippin’ idea.
Ahhh Ray. I’m finally cluing in. That NEW math. LOL…So essentially they’d be adding 5.5 and then taking that same 5.5 off. Not saving anything at all.
Gotchya. It’s a monday.
Sway/Trent rulings don’t go their way for the Bruins…Forbort or Grez will be leaving if a trade isnt worked out giving the Bruins cap space that’s needed
Bruins already said Grizz isn’t being moved so scratch him of that list. And I doubt the Bruins are willing to pay Fredrick almost 3 mill. I expect if arbitration rules in the players favor one or both are gone
https://ca.style.yahoo.com/krakens-alex-wennberg-calls-out-tiktok-community-for-vile-comments-about-family-172601303.html
Note to self:
1. Who is Alex Wennberg?
2. Stay away from tiktok community or any other community.
3. Why is wife’ involved here?
4. This is not an Original 6 teams:thus,why is it a debate?
5.If this i not Pens, Rags, Leafs – why is it even a post?
— inquiring minds want to know
lol