NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2023
Recapping Wednesday’s preseason action, the salary cap is projected to rise significantly in 2024-25, plus some notable injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
PRESEASON GAMES RECAP
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists to thump the Calgary Flames 7-2. Connor Brown tallied twice for the Oilers while Dan Vladar made 35 saves for the Flames.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Flames announced that forward Kevin Rooney suffered what is considered to be a long-term upper-body injury in practice earlier this week.
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-3. Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli’s first-ever NHL preseason goal was also the winning goal while teammate Patrik Laine collected his fourth goal of this preseason. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots for the Sabres.
New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Ondrej Palat picked up three assists for the Devils. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers.
The Detroit Red Wings nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 with James Reimer making 21 saves for the win. Simon Edvinsson and Daniel Sprong scored for the Wings while Xavier Ouellet tallied for the Penguins. Former Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 stops against his former team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Red Wings announced that they had released forward Artem Anisimov from his professional tryout.
Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen scored the winning goal to down the Vancouver Canucks 2-1.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: League Commissioner Gary Bettman made his preliminary projection for next season’s salary cap following yesterday’s Board of Governors meeting. With revenues up and stable team ownerships, he anticipates the cap could rise to between $87 million and $88 million for 2024-25.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap is $83.5 million for this season. It has been flattened since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season because of the players’ $1 billion escrow debt to the owners as a result of the premature end of the 2019-20 season due to the start of the COVID pandemic. Bettman indicated there is $50 million of escrow debt remaining and it is expected to be paid off by the end of this season.
OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris suffered another setback in his efforts to return to action from the shoulder surgery that prematurely ended his 2022-23 season. Head coach D.J. Smith remains hopeful that Norris, who’s been practicing with his teammates for the past eight days, will be able to play in the Senators’ final preseason game on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Senators center Shane Pinto remains out of training camp as his agent and Senators general manager Pierre Dorion continue to negotiate a new contract. The two sides have reportedly made progress in recent days. There’s talk around the league that the 22-year-old Pinto could accept a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.35 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators now have $1.7 million in cap space after four players, including Jacob Bernard-Docker and Egor Sokolov, cleared waivers yesterday and were sent to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Nevertheless, they’ll still have to shed more salary to get Pinto under contract and be cap-compliant when their season opens next week.
NEW YORK POST: Winger Kyle Palmieri has rejoined the Islanders after missing the opening weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury. It’s unclear if he’ll participate in the Isles’ final two preseason games but should be good to go for their season opener next week against the Buffalo Sabres.
THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks forward Mikael Granlund returned to practice yesterday after missing a week with an undisclosed injury. He’s expected to be in their lineup for their season opener next week, replacing sidelined captain Logan Couture (lower-body, week-to-week).
TSN: Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev will face a disciplinary hearing for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo on Tuesday.
ARIZONA SPORTS: Diamond Sports Group, the bankrupt operator of Bally Sports Arizona, wants out of its contract to broadcast Arizona Coyotes games. They made the request in the Southern Texas Bankruptcy Court on Wednesday. Both sides are awaiting the court’s decision.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another day, another crisis for the Coyotes. It’s too bad because they actually have a promising roster led by rising star Clayton Keller that could surprise some folks this season. Sadly, few sports fans in Arizona will be able to watch them unless the team can find a new broadcaster.
DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL coach Kevin Constantine has been suspended indefinitely as head coach of the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild for making derogatory remarks of a discriminatory nature.
The hits (dents) keep coming for the Yotes
Move them to Houston….. make everybody happy
Re next year’s Cap…. For months and months the media had posited a $3.5 M – $4.5 M bump in Cap next year… GMs were basically already gearing up longer plans with the $87M – $88 M Cap (for next year) in mind
Sens…. Some Cap juggling and negotiations yet to happen…. Not envying Dorion
Cap crunch Leafs…. Again…. Rinse, repeat
Days away from season opener and Leafs (at least Cap wise) worse off than Bolts…
Leafs 23 Non injured (per Cap Friendly)…. Total $85.7 M….,$2.2 M over
So unless two players earning $1.1 M or more are waived…. The Leafs start season with 20 (same as the number they should dress)…. Any subsequent injury (that is NOT LTIR) …. and they’re dressing 19 for subsequent games
Still no WW contract
I know it’s late in the game but I still say WW for a top 4 D Man 25-28 years old; that has a cap hit closing in on $2 M less than WW’s…., is the way to go
Pens…. Will make the Cap work….but still with 9 (nine) 4th liners; barely 1 3rd liner (Eller); and Dooby still sitting with Ruhweedel on the 23 man (if you’ve watched Pens last couple of years and this pre-season…., you’ll know what I’m talking about re Ruhweedel…, he absolutely must have compromising dirt on Sully)
Re; The Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks taking trade
The Sens send Mathieu Joseph and a 1st pick in 2025..
Or
The Wings 1st pick in 2024 the sens have to the Sharks…🤔
for a 2nd round pick one of the Sharks 2 they have in 2024
this would be a High Cost, but they need to clear cap space ASAP to get Pinto signed ….⁉️
and nobody is biting for the 2nd pick option
There are only 8 teams with +$3.M in Cap Space that can make a trade….
It’s interesting to note how we were all wrong about Jacob Bernard-Docker and others not making it through waivers and getting claimed by another team.
My question is so why have so many of us thought that, but reality is no other team managerial personnel thought likewise? What do they know that we don’t that can make them pass on him when we are pretty sure you get picked up or wouldn’t mind being on your team?
Salary Cap and roster management are usually the culprits preventing more waiver claims. Sometimes it is pure cap related. Other times a GM knows that if he claims a new player he has to waive or demote one of his own to fit the new player on the roster.
Or, the players we think will get claimed, simply aren’t as good as we the fan think they are due to their draft position.
Most teams, maybe even all, have players who have not performed to expectations since being drafted. Why add another one.
Could’ve at least said thumping of the Calgary Wranglers for some perspective lol.
For Bruins the question to ask is where are the Goals going to come from … going into season without a legit #1 or #2 center … solid D and goaltending … looking at a .500 season no playoffs