NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 1, 2024
The reason behind Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet is revealed, an update on Leon Draisaitl’s contract talks, Evgeny Kuznetsov signs with a KHL team, the Canadiens re-sign Kaiden Guhle, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang and Dan Robson report Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet was because he came under scrutiny by the NHL for allegedly revealing to a friend which players were being selected in the first round of the 2024 Draft moments before the picks were announced.
Marek was privy to the first-round selections before they were announced. This is common practice for broadcast rights holders, enabling them to prepare graphics and video clips for the chosen players.
The friend was former NHL scout Mark Seidel, who works with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, runs a scouting service and occasionally provides content for ESPN. It’s believed Marek provided Seidel a heads-up on the picks so the latter could be better prepared to provide an analysis of the selections on social media.
The league shared its concerns with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which probed further.
Neither Marek, Sportsnet, the league, the Gaming Control Board nor Seidel commented.
A source claimed no gambling impropriety was discovered nor was there any intent by Marek to gain financially from what happened. However, sharing the information with someone outside the company put Sportsnet in a difficult situation.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve summarized the story’s main point. Please read the report for the full details if you have a subscription to The Athletic.
The NHL’s affiliation with legalized gambling means its broadcast rights holders face scrutiny to ensure none of its personnel benefits from inside information. A hint of impropriety by an on-air personality will raise questions and prompt an investigation.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
Based on this report, Marek simply made a poor decision by sharing info with a friend. He may not have profited by it but it still cost him his job, serving as a preventative warning to his peers.
TSN: Ryan Rishaug reports it sounds like Edmonton Oilers management and Leon Draisaitl’s representatives have been in touch regarding a contract extension. Actual negotiations haven’t started yet but are expected to begin soon. “So any notion that it’s close to done is premature as of today (July 31)”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl can become an unrestricted free agent next July. There’s plenty of time for the two sides to agree on an extension.
TSN: Evgeny Kuznetsov signed a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov and the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terminate his contract last month, clearing the path to his new KHL deal. There was speculation suggesting some NHL clubs were interested in the 32-year-old center. However, it appears he wouldn’t get a deal comparable to what SKA St. Petersburg was offering.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension. Guhle, 22, will earn an average annual value of $5.55 million starting in 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle has quickly established himself as a top-four defenseman with the Canadiens over the past two seasons. His injury history is a concern but overall this signing has received positive marks from Montreal fans and pundits. This could turn into an affordable long-term deal for the Canadiens if Guhle develops as projected into a reliable top-pairing blueliner.
TSN: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy, and Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer are part of Team Canada’s coaching staff for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. They will join Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who was named Team Canada’s head coach in June.
DAILY FACEOFF: Kyle Clifford signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. The 33-year-old forward spent last season with the Marlies while on a one-way NHL contract with the Maple Leafs.
Re Marek: something doesn’t add up here. Seems weird that you’d lose your job for an honest mistake. Especially someone with so many years of experience in the business.
Randino, I also believe that Sportsnets firing of Marek was an overreaction (assuming that he hadn’t previously done something like this) and that an initial warning or suspension may have been the better course. But let’s not call it an honest mistake. 2+2=5 is a mistake. He knowingly violated a company rule and may have put his employer at risk.
Here is a quote from the Athletic:
“Marek was privy to the draft selections before they were publicly announced. This is common practice for broadcast rightsholders. The production truck is notified of the pick approximately one or two minutes before it’s made so that graphics can be prepared, video clips readied and cameras trained on the player about to find out he has been selected.”
Howard is right, it’s a company rule and while the time between being told and the pick being announced is very small, it does allow for gambling to benefit. This was apparently not the case but the issue of trust is important and valid.
Sportsnet could have suspended Malik, and or ensured he wasn’t part of the draft again, but something had to be done.
If the report is accurate Marek gamble and loss.
Why would Marek but himself in that situation? Why would his friend put Marek in that situation?
At this point trust is lost between employer and employee.
Agree Caper, what the heck are they thinking. The risk reward ratio just doesn’t make sense.
The NHL is now in the gambling business, so of course there’s consequences for sharing inside information. Thought there’s no indication it was used for gambling, the only penalty available is termination. It’s the way this kind of thing is handled every time.
There’s a report that Guhle’s agent asked for the same 8m. x 8 year deal that Jake Sanderson got but Hughes would not give it. Guhle could have opted for a bridge deal but decided to take only 2 fewer years at nearly 1/3 less AAV.
Solid signing by the Habs locking up another member of their young core long term. Guhle is already a Top-4 D-man. I don’t see him as turning into a big scorer but I think he’ll be a reliable physical defenseman who’ll chip in 35-40 points per year. And I like his leadership qualities too.
All in all a good price for the Habs to pay for a player like Guhle. And as he’ll be 29 when the deal expires, he could still set himself up for another big payday.
Howard, like a number of current D 25 y/o and under, Guhle quickly became one of a solid group in that age bracket about whom we’ll be “marvelling” for various reasons over the next 5 to 10 years.
In no particular order some of these are: Cale Makar, Noah Dobson, Miro Heiskanen, Kaiden Guhle, Brock Faber, Jake Sanderson, Moritz Seider, Thomas Harley, Symon Nemec, Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard
George I don’t think Guhle is or will be quite at the offensive level as most of those guys but he’s a solid D-man nevertheless.
Perhaps not a multiple-points D-man, Howard … but that’s why I phrased it above as “for various reasons.” In his case it will be the physical, hard-checking aspect of the game and, if he maintains – or improves upon – his 82-game averages posted over the past 2 seasons (7g 22a 29 pts) he won’t be out of place in tat company.
By the way, one I overlooked in the list above is big Owen Power.
I think you might have gone a little strong on you analysis of Guhle. The defenseman you compared to ar true number one d-men and most are elite. Guhle I’m sure will be a solid top 4 but I wouldn’t put him in the elite category.
Maybe, What the heck – but not many among those others listed I see as gritty and the kind you want to avoid in the offensive zone – Guhle has made his mark there, while at the same time contributing 30 points a year.
There is more than one way to look at the attributes of a young, under 25 D-man.
re Sanderson
Ottawa paying their kids so young is already limiting their depth ala Toronto.
bridge deals for Stutzle and Sanderson would of helped this team finally get into the playoffs with more cash for depth
Have to agree there, ds. But that was Dorion’s philosophy in action, and now Staios -and the fan base – have to live with the limiting consequences.
And in that regard, I agree it’s much like the Toronto situation – and Edmonton – with those 2 GMs now required to live with the roster-limiting contracts negotiated by their predecessors.
But then again, Edmonton came close to the Stanley Cup and the Leafs are consistently in the upper quarter of the league.
We should be so lucky.
I will make a counter argument to the bridge deal being better. Not saying I’m right, as we don’t know yet if it was the right plan.
Short term yes, bridge would have allowed for more depth. Would they have won anything? Playoffs, ya maybe, but IMO they still wouldn’t be a contender as their core would still be too young.
Medium term, even like this off season, some of these deals would be significantly more expensive. Tkachuk for sure would be. And Sanderson would be soon enough.
Long term, and all of these guys are signed for at least 4 more years, others for even longer, some, if not most of these deals will look like bargains. Then they will have more cap flexibility, and will have it when all of these guys are in their prime years and might be an actual contender.
That seems like when you really want that space.
The big if is if these guys mature and develop into the type of players that can get them there. I would bet on yes, but we will see.
So the bigger question is; did they bet on the right guys?
Heh — well — if you’re right Ray, that will mean Dorion was ultimately right in his approach – and got fired for it (among other reasons).