NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2024
The four All-Star Game rosters are set, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are revealed, the latest on Sam Reinhart’s contract situation and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The four teams are set for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game following the player draft by team captains Auston Matthews and singer Justin Bieber, Nathan MacKinnon and singer Tate McRae, Jack and Quinn Hughes with singer Michael Buble, and Connor McDavid with actor Will Arnett.
Among the notable picks:
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
The hometown Toronto Maple Leafs all-stars will be playing on Team Matthews as he and assistant captain Morgan Rielly used their first two picks to select William Nylander and Mitch Marner.
Team Hughes used the first overall pick to select Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league in scoring with 85 points.
Team MacKinnon chose Pittsburgh Penguins captain (and MacKinnon’s fellow Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native) Sidney Crosby with their first pick.
Team McDavid selected Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebucyk and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Seattle Kraken winger Oliver Bjorkstrand was the last pick of the draft as he joined Team MacKinnon. Well, he wasn’t chosen by that team. Each of the final four players – Anaheim Ducks winger Frank Vatrano (Team Hughes), New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (Team Matthews), San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (Team McDavid) and Bjorkstrand – were assigned to their respective teams.
NHL.COM: Speaking of MacKinnon, he’s the league’s first star for January 2024. Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is the second star with Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson the third star.
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber was named the Rookie of the Month for January 2024.
NHL.COM: Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said his contract talks with the club are going well and he has no problem with the process taking more time. “I’ve got no issues with them being ongoing. They certainly don’t either,” said Reinhart, going on to say the main focus of both sides right now is winning the Stanley Cup.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Both sides have expressed a willingness to get a deal done stretching back to last fall.
Reinhart has already set a career high this season with 37 goals and with 62 points is on pace to exceed his career-best of 80 points. He’s due for a big raise on his next contract. The 28-year-old is earning an average annual value of $6.5 million and could earn between $9 million and $10 million annually on his next deal.
With over $28 million in projected cap space for 2024-25, the Panthers can afford to re-sign Reinhart. It will put a big dent into their remaining cap space and could complicate efforts to re-sign pending UFA defensemen Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling as well as restricted free agent Anton Lundell.
THE TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs great Dave Keon believes current Leafs stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander will probably reach the top of the list among the club’s all-time scoring leaders. “And unless they win a Cup, that will be their legacy,” he said.
“What is the object of this exercise? At the start of the year when you gather in training camp, the object of the exercise is to win the Stanley Cup,” said Keon. “If you have all of these players putting up great numbers and you’ve won one playoff series in eight or nine years, and you haven’t even played for the Stanley Cup, then you have to take a look in the mirror.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keon is speaking some harsh truth here. One of the greatest two-way forwards in NHL history, he won four Stanley Cups in six seasons with the Leafs between 1961-62 and 1966-67 and won the 1967 Conn Smythe Trophy.
Yes, the league and the game have changed since Keon’s heyday 60 years ago. Matthews, Marner and Nylander aren’t to blame for their club’s inability to build up a solid supporting cast around them. Nevertheless, they’re the foundation on which the club’s success depends. So far, they’ve struggled to meet those postseason expectations.
CALGARY SUN: Elias Lindholm posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram account to Flames fans following his trade to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. “Thank you Calgary and thank you C of Red for these five and a half years,” he wrote.
“It’s been truly amazing to represent this organization and play in front of you all. You guys have been nothing but incredible to me and my family. We’re so grateful for our time in Calgary and it will always have a special place in our hearts. All the best, it’s been an honor.”
TSN: The sexual assault case involving five players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior team will be before a court in London, Ontario starting on Monday.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube, New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote and unsigned Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton (who played in Switzerland this season) are each charged with one count of sexual assault. The five are on indefinite leaves of absence from their teams.
McLeod also faces an additional charge of sexual assault for “being a party to the offence.” The alleged incident occurred in London on June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada event.
Gotta love the hockey perspective of Keon. He nailed it as it is up to the GM to find the right mix and the leafs do not have it but afraid to change it
Let’s give the players some of the blame, why don’t we. Top players are supposed to step up their games in the playoffs. A talented core like the Leafs have ought to have won more than one playoff series.
No doubt the players are a big part of the continued lack of playoff success But GM has to figure out the mix is wrong for having that lack of success that is his only job all can see it except Leafs brass
Yes, the game has changed through the decades, but one thing has not. The ultimate goal is still winning the Stanley Cup.
I don’t know the answer obviously, i’m just a fan but a lot of times you have to have fortune on your side? I watch the Avalanche and think they should be in the SC finals every year with the talent they have but so don’t other teams. Health, attitude, the willingness to be about the big picture as opposed to just personal goals. Everything has to go in your favor it seems. I remember being exhausted after the Avalanche won 2 yrs ago because St. Louis and Tampa Bay were so difficult to beat. Helm’s goal was heaven sent and Kadri’s OT goal in the finals. Then, in other years, the Avalanche blew a 2-0 series lead against Vegas and 7th game loss to Dallas in the bubble that they should have won. So, circumstances have to go your way and some luck from the hockey gods helps too. I guess that’s why it’s the toughest trophy in sports to win? Someday, the Maple Leafs will win and all will be forgiven. GO AVS!!!!
Lindholm and Monahan were drafted in the same year, one spot apart, same age, same size and similar stat line.
Lindholm: 792 games, 212G, 333A, 545 pts
Monahan: 730 games 231G, 283A, 514 pts
While Monahan had injuries and surgeries, he played 62 games less over 11 years.
This year their stats are similar again,
Lindholm 49games, 9G-23A
Monahan 49games, 13G-22A
Given the Lindholm deal, Hughes will/should get some excellent offers.
To Vancouver: Monahan
To Montreal, Myers, 1st 2025, Willander, Lekkerimaki.
Habs don’t need Myers, he’s a cap dump for the pick and the two prospects are wait and see as usual.
Vancouver gets better instantly and they have Myers money to play with, being all in this year.
Why would Van need another C?????
If anything they would trade Myers another RD an if that gave them some cap room they would get some depth for their bottom 6.
Lol just dreaming
I think Monahan will get a good return, maybe not quite as much as Lindholm, who seems to be viewed as better defensively and maybe less of a health risk? Fair or unfair, I don’t watch Monahan enough lately to know.
The Canucks got some stick taps for not trading either or their top 2 prospects, Willander and Lekkerimaki, for Lindholm, not sure they would for Monahan.
I also think Myers is the kind of huge D that could really help a team like VCR in the playoffs. Chara was still really effective from the blue line in, Myers seems to get those kind of minutes along with the PK. He plays more than Zadorov in VCR, and he was the flavor of the month a while back. There is a good reason Tocchet does that, because Myers is a better, smarter, player. Bet he would rather move Zadorov.
COL must be talking to the Habs about him, seems to fit like a glove there. NYR lost Chytil. EDM wants a versatile middle 6 FWD. That sounds kinda like Monahan!
All of them have their 1st next year, one or more of them probably coughs it up. What else might be the bigger question.
Or who else is out there, that isn’t being mentioned right now that pushes the supply side up a bit.
Yup, Monahan is worth 3 first round picks. Do all Habs’ fans overvalue their players as much? And in case you missed it, the Canucks already traded for a second line centre so no need for another.
Tried watching draft was not my cup of tea did enjoy ladies 3 on 3 All Star weekend has gone backwards over the years. Hopefully this year’s attempt will be better
Calgary sure didn’t view them a similar players when they had both of them. In fact they gave a 1st round pick just to rid themselves of Monahans contract. Buyer beware Monahan is playing way more minutes and getting power play time that he will not get on a contender. His stats are going to drop quicker then a Boulder of a cliff. 16 of his 35pts are on the power play. On a contender he certainly doesn’t get top line power play minutes. Lindholm is a way better player 5 on 5 on every stat line. Only 9 of his points are from the power play. I say Monahan gets a first and b level prospect if a team overpays. He will not get what Lonholm got because the gms look at the player from a complete point of view not a fans who has that player playing for their team.
And there you go. Monahan for a first and a conditional pick