NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2023
Check out the latest on the Bruins’ Brad Marchand, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Canucks blueliner Tyler Myers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is considered among the candidates to replace retired center Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins’ captain. However, the 35-year-old winger believes the club has plenty of leadership regardless of who wears the captaincy.
Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).
“You know we have always done it collectively as a group, so regardless of who wears it, it’s a collective thing,” said Marchand. “Even guys without letters step up”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the longest-serving active member of the Bruins, having been with the club since 2009-10. Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm have also been mentioned as candidates to succeed Bergeron as Bruins captain.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito provided an update on sidelined defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Both players are recovering from offseason shoulder surgeries.
Zito anticipates Ekblad and Montour will be back before the 2024 All-Star break in early February but he didn’t provide more specific timelines. “I think you are safe to say November to January is the range as long as they continue to progress in September and October.”
Of the two, Zito alluded to Montour returning to action before Ekblad.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will find it challenging to remain a playoff contender this season without their top two defensemen during the opening weeks of the schedule.
SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and his family were forced to evacuate their lakefront home in British Columbus last month when embers from the West Kelowna wildfires jump Okanagan Lake.
Myers said the fire jumped close to his house on the east side of Okanagan Lake. He and his family spent a week in Vancouver before they were allowed to return home. “House is all good,” said Myers. “We got back and, you know, a lot of debris and ash everywhere as I’m sure there was around the whole city. But it was scary for sure.”
THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, defenseman Tucker Poolman is not expected to attend training camp in Victoria later this month. The 30-year-old blueliner has been suffering from migraines since 2021-22 and played just three games last season. He could be sidelined for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Poolman is in the third season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million. He will likely be placed on long-term injury reserve if unable to play this season.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed winger Danton Heinen to a professional tryout offer (PTO).
DAILY FACEOFF: Forward Stefan Matteau is attending Columbus Blue Jackets training camp on a PTO.
Goaltender Jean-Francois Berube has signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings.
Good pick up by the Bruins, I believe. Didn’t understand why they let him go previously? He’s a good player. Thought the Avalanche would consider him? But who knows? Guy seems to skate well and always involved where he needs to be. GO AVS!!!!
Heinen on PTO. LOL!!!
Brad Marchand the captain now there is a true leader and example…what a joke.
Don’t get me wrong Marchand is a superstar player but he is dirty, nasty and cheap and a far cry from the class and greatness of Bergeron..
Lets put the C on the cheapest player we can find….LOL I would have given it to Charlie McAvoy !!
Why don’t you just settle down?!
As a non-Bruins fan, I agree. It should not be Marchand. It should be McAvoy. Just because Marchand has been there a while and is an offensive producer, it does not automatically make him a leader / captain.
I was hoping Boston would sign Jesse Puljujarvi a contract. Someone will. Who?
Brad Marchand will be named captain of the bruins. I see McAvoy being the long term captain.
Who will give Phil Kessel a contract? Joe Thornton hasn’t officially retired? Come on Boston could have a line of: Heinen, Thornton, Kessel
Shoreorrpark…No one is fired up but you Marchand is not a true leader…period
Bergeron /Chara were great Boston leaders. How do you reward such a dirty player ……oh yeah he has been there the longest lets give it to slew foot..
you calm down…LOL
blackngold don’t confuse yesterday Marchand with today Marchand.
No player on Boston, played harder than Marchand in the Florida series. Marchand has the ability to drag his teammates into the fight. That’s a leader.
Caper…A leopard doesn’t change his spots. I said Marchand is passionate, he is a hard worker, extremely talented, super productive, but dangerously dirty and goes out of his way to hurt people.
He slew foot them/spears them/ he punched Pittsburgh goalie Tristan Jarry in the back of the head while he was covering a puck than later speared him in the mask, he licks people.
Just you tube Marchand’s dirtiest hits and plays not to mention suspensions.
McAvoy Pasta Much better choices bro.
Hey maybe Ryan Reaves for Bruins captain..
A leopard doesn’t change his spots but hockey players can and do…..hello Stan Mikita.
A heavily penalized talented rat who went on to win a few Lady Byng trophies.
Marchand for captaincy is an interesting case.
My feeling is that if you ask anyone in the Bruin dressing room, they would consider Marchand the leader. He is an absolute pest for other teams but I imagine is highly respected by his team mates.
Then there is the overall image/business side – do the Bruins want someone as a captain who has a history of dirty plays and licking opponents? Possibly not.
Marchand may be the emotional choice but not sure if its the right identity choice for the business.
Well said Taz..
Habsfan30…Ok Mikita did get better but what’s the saying even a blind squirrel gets a nut.
Mikita yes was a rat but Marchand is a different breed of dirty and calculated too..