NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 6, 2024
In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines: lingering questions about the Rangers defense corps, the latest on the Senators’ Josh Norris and the Kraken’s Shane Wright, and the Avalanche sign Oliver Kylington.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers are set to return with five of the six regular defensemen they had last season. Talk of retooling the blueline by trading captain Jacob Trouba failed to materialize.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).
The Rangers must determine who fills the sixth defense position following Erik Gustafsson’s departure as a free agent. It remains to be seen if K’Andre Miller was playing with Trouba or Braden Schneider. Questions linger over who quarterbacks the second power-play unit and how the depth chart adjusts in case of injury.
Training camp could see Zac Jones and Chad Ruhwedel jockeying with Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey, and Brandon Scanlin.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne looked at the many layers of concern about Josh Norris. The 25-year-old Ottawa Senators center is a former 35-goal scorer whose career has been hampered by shoulder injuries.
The Senators’ chances of reaching the playoffs will improve with a healthy, productive season from Norris. However, questions remain over whether he can play a full season, regain his 35-goal form, if Shane Pinto has passed him on the depth chart, and how the club will adjust if he becomes sidelined again.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: When healthy, Norris is a productive center for the Senators. Another injury-hampered season, however, could force them to seek a more reliable top-six center. Norris’ contract will also complicate things. He’s in his third season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $7.95 million.
THE SCORE: Shane Wright hopes to earn a full-time roster spot with the Seattle Kraken following his impressive play during his call-up late last season. He had four goals and an assists in five games.
Wright, the fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, spent most of last season with the Kraken’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley, scoring 22 goals and 47 points in 59 regular-season games and 13 points in 12 postseason contests.
Former Coachella Valley coach Dan Bylsma is now the Kraken’s bench boss. Wright is excited about making the step to the NHL with Bylsma, praising his communication skills and motivation.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed Oliver Kylington to a one-year, $1.05 million contract.
Kylington, 27, departed the Calgary Flames as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He missed the entire 2022-23 season to take care of his mental health. He returned to action last season, with eight points in 33 games.
Having also signed Calvin de Haan and Erik Brannstrom, the Avalanche will have a crowded blueline for 2024-25. Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Josh Manson and Samuel Girard are the only locks. Sam Malinski will also be in the mix.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kylington isn’t a physical defenseman but his puck-moving skills could fit well into the Avs’ style of play. He was expected to re-sign with the Flames but those negotiations failed to result in a new deal.
The worst-case scenario for Norris of the Senators is that his recurring shoulder problem returns, he goes on LTIR, allowing them to utilize that aspect of his $7.95 mil cap hit, and they move on with some shuffling of the others in their line-up perfectly capable of handling the C position – Stutzle, Giroux (his natural position), Pinto, Greig, Amadio, Gregor.
It hasn’t been the C position and the loss of his services the past two seasons that has stalled their progress (in 58 gp over those 2 seasons he scored all of 18 goals). In fact, their goals scored over each of those seasons were ahead of several playoff teams. Rather, it’s been the overall defensive aspect of their game and inconsistency in goal that has crippled them – areas they have made off-season moves to strengthen – including coaching.
You have to hope for the kid’s sake that the doctors got it right this time around, and he’s able to put in the better part of a full season. To that end there have been suggestions that we could see him lining up as a LW, although I’m not exactly sure how that would remove stress on the shoulder. Faceoffs? Can’t be that. Any theories?
Yes, they can put Norris on permanent LTIR if his shoulder injuries persist but that’s not the best solution to carry a guy with five years left on his contract on permanent LTIR. It’s a long time to go without being able to accrue cap space over the course of the season. That’s why the Canadiens traded Shea Weber’s contract and why they could still try to do so with Carey Price’s. The ideal situation, of course, is Norris returns healthy and productive.
No argument here regarding the Senators goaltending and defensive issues in recent seasons. Nevertheless, they still missed Norris’ full-time presence and production. Imagine how much higher their goal output would’ve been with a healthy Norris during that period. Perhaps enough to offset the defensive deficiencies enough to get closer to the playoffs.
Anyway, all eyes will be on Norris in what could be a crucial season for himself and his club.
Amen to that Lyle. Any theories on why playing him at wing rather than C would relieve stress on the shoulder?
Playing at center taking draws could put him in a more vulnerable position than he would on the wing.
Not disputing what you say or anything … just that I can’t wrap my head around that scenario.
In a face-off circle taking a draw you’re not moving with speed so contact would be minimal. But on the wing, with a trick shoulder, the last thing you’d want to do is go barging into a corner to dig out a puck and have to face some bone-crunching check into the boards by a big D-man.
And as a winger I think you’d be doing a lot more of that than facing anything similar as a C in a face-off.
If he’s a C on a line with Giroux – who’s a natural C and very good in the face-off circle – why not let Giroux take the draws?
It s interesting to see how teams navigate their rosters in respect to the salary cap! Seems like you can go heavy on 2 groups sand one has to be low budget or entry level players! Teams cannot load up on their Goalies,forwards or Defensemen! One group has to suffer!Fla. is a great example,with. High priced goalies and forwards and light on Defensemen! Boston provided they sign Swayman is heavy on defensemen and goalies and light on forwards!I would be interested in what people think about roster building in relationship to the cap!
Another “puck moving” defenseman. Which is great because that is the way the Avalanche like to play. Everything generates from backend with speed and the Avalanche are built for that; however, I see one of their weaknesses on the backend is lack of physicality? That is why they made a play to get Zadorev back isn’t it? Now the blue line is really crowded. That’s a good thing but is something else amiss?
Re; Sens & Norris
Playing Norris on the LW Wing with Pinto at Centre and Batherson on RW they could even give
Claude Giroux a go with them at RW on the 2nd line
That could be a great 2nd line combo’sđź‘Ť
I just worry about Toughness in the bottom six,
im not a big Macewan fan…. needs to play way more Physical
i would love it if they give big local edmonton guy the 6ft4 Zack Ostapchuk a full time role this year, he is Physical and likes to hit a can score too…
williew, what I worry about is the total lack of depth at RW – at least with respect as to the stated position of each player in Puckpedia – see below.
After Giroux and Batherson there is no one on the main roster projected at RW. And for those in Belleville, I doubt either one of the two listed there at RW is going to make Ottawa.
I realize someone like Amadio will play at RW on the 3rd line – but that is not his natural position, And who do they insert on the 4th line?
Right now Puckpedia shows them with 21 at the major league level, including Angus Crookshank, who’s listed as a LW.
I think Ostapchuk will probably make the roster – but again, there’s nothing to suggest he could play the right side either. He’s shown as a LW – and they have a plethora of those.
https://puckpedia.com/team/ottawa-senators
Hi George,
The 3rd line….
I think they play Amadio at RW on the 3rd line,
with the Speedster Greig at LW,
at Centre Noah Gregor ?
Or
I wonder if Big 6.ft3 & 215lb Stephen Halliday makes the team he really played well the 2nd half of the season …..âť“
I really hope big local edmonton guy the
6ft4 Zack Ostapchuk, he could be there 3rd line centre after a year on the 4th line….🤔
or after training camp do the go after a 3rd line Centre untill one of the younger guys is ready
it sure look like they have lots of LW down on the farm…..
the only other RW/LW after is Tyler Boucher…??
They still have $1.9M in cap space
or do the train the young guys up…….âť“