NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2024
The Blue Jackets and Flames honor the Gaudreau brothers with candlelight vigils, Torey Krug talks about his upcoming ankle surgery, the latest on the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets held a candlelight vigil outside Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Wednesday to remember Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were killed by a drunk driver last Thursday in New Jersey.
Johnny, 31, joined the Blue Jackets as a free agent in 2022.
Over 1,000 fans gathered to pay their respects. They heard emotional words and memories from Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell, captain Boone Jenner, alternate captain Erik Gudbranson and center Cole Sillinger.
CALGARY SUN: Thousands of fans gather outside Calgary’s Saddledome on Wednesday to honor the Gaudreau brothers. Johnny began his NHL career with the Flames and spent nearly nine seasons with them. Flames GM Craig Conroy, captain Mikael Backlund, and team legend Lanny McDonald shared their memories of Gaudreau with the crowd.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The vigils cap an emotional week in both cities. Fans outside both arenas set up makeshift memorials over the past week. They will remain in place for the time being. At some point, both clubs will likely implement some form of permanent tribute to the brothers.
STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Torey Krug met with the local media yesterday regarding his season-ending ankle surgery and its effect on his playing career.
St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug (NHL Images).
Krug was diagnosed earlier this summer with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle related to an injury suffered during the 2018 playoffs. He later experienced arthritis but was able to treat the issue with non-surgical means until this year when the pain persisted.
The 33-year-old defenseman hopes the surgery will allow him to lead a normal life. However, he became emotional when discussing the possibility it could end his playing career, forcing him to pause at one point for several seconds to compose himself.
The surgery will fuse the subtalar joint that involves side-to-side movement of the foot, limiting Krug’s range of motion in that area. He could also experience pain in the nearby ankle or midfoot joints following surgery.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Krug makes a full recovery from this surgery.
SPORTSNET: Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios is not pushing Linus Ullmark to sign a new contract.
The Senators acquired Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in June. Staios said the club wants the 30-year-old goaltender to settle in and get comfortable in the community before opening contract talks.
Ullmark carries a $5 million cap hit this season. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: How well Ullmark’s new team performs this season will also factor in his negotiations. Senators fans have been waiting for this rebuilding club’s emergence as a playoff contender since 2021-22.
Poor goaltending factored into their inability to achieve that goal which was why they acquired Ullmark. A strong performance by him and his new teammates could finally lead to that much-anticipated breakout performance. That could entice Ullmark to stick around beyond this season.
Staios also said oft-injured forward Josh Norris is trending toward being a full participant in training camp. The 24-year-old Norris underwent his third surgery on his left shoulder after reinjuring it in March. Staios indicated Norris is ahead of where he was in his recovery compared to this time last year.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy and productive Norris will also be a key factor for the Senators this season.
OTTAWA SUN: Talks are heating up again between the Senators and the National Capital Commission regarding the potential construction of a new arena at LeBreton Flats in downtown Ottawa.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: These negotiations have been going on for several years. So far, there’s no indication a deal is coming anytime soon.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings and Lucas Raymond are no closer to agreement on a new contract. Raymond’s agent indicated the two sides have yet to reach common ground for the framework of a new deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings’ training camp opens in two weeks. Both sides will want to avoid this carrying over into training camp.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks top prospect Macklin Celebrini will be living with former Sharks great Joe Thornton for the coming season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini was the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. He’ll learn a lot from Thornton, who was chosen first overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997 and understands the expectations that come with that honor.
THE SCORE: Former Senator and Chicago Blackhawks forward Dominik Kubalik is returning to Swiss club HC Ambri Piotta. The 29-year-old forward spent the past five seasons with the Blackhawks and Senators, tallying 93 goals and 176 points in 357 career games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kubalik had a promising debut in 2019-20 with 30 goals and 46 points in 68 games but was never able to replicate that performance over the remainder of his NHL career.
SPORTSNET: Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mattias Norlinder could return to Swedish club MoDo if the fans want him to. The club lacks funds to offer Norlinder a contract and has created a crowdfunding campaign to address the issue.
Heh . with a career spanning just over 35 years with Immigration involving endless frustrating “negotiations” with bureaucrats in other departments, whose programs had a direct and often critical impact on various aspects of immigrant/visitor control, I can assure you, Lyle, that no one should hold their breath waiting on an NCC decision.
I won’t see any new downtown arena in what’s left of my lifetime.
Re Dominik Kubalik, I just hope the Swiss league he’s joining doesn’t expect any sort of two-way hockey out of him.
In 5 seasons playing for Chicago, Detroit and Ottawa he sports a cumulative minus 62, including a team-high (by a WIDE margin) of minus 30 this past season in Ottawa (shared with Chychrun whose -30 is now in Washington).
Re Ullmark, although I’m on record as saying I’d bet he signs before camp, I’ve also posted a few times that, if he doesn’t sign right away, it will likely depend on how the team and, by extension, he himself are performing as we near trade deadline day. Tick tock tick tock and let the speculation begin.
Re Norris – encouraging as the medical prognosis is, the acid test will come soon enough once the games begin – both pre- and regular-season. He can’t hold back and be tentative – he’d be essentially useless that way.
Here’s hoping the doctors finally have it right and the shoulder is fully healed because a full season from him – and Pinto – would make a world of difference to their season.
Hey George,
Re Ullmark & Norris
Seen an interview with LU on TV taking about Buying a house in Ottawa and so far him and his family really like the area its quiet and relaxed….
His comment was if his Family is happy that make it easy for him, he also talked about team chemistry…. i think with the addition of
33 yr old RD man Nick Jensen that will settle down the young d and a healthy LD on the 2nd pairing with Chabot will help.
With a healthy Josh Noriss at last ❗️ playing the wing with Pinto as centre and a Drake Batherson or a Claude Giroux on there RW that should be a good 2nd line…, with a stronger 3rd & 4th line hopfull
they can all jell
The only missing piece…. is a big tough guy to take the fighting off Brady Tkachuk hands ..❓
and its NOT Zack MacEwen…
maybe a PTO for one of the NYI Tough guys…🤔
williew, Nick Cousins is not adverse to dropping the gloves
https://www.hockeyfights.com/players/13585
and both David Perron and Ridley Greig will go as well now and then.
As for MacEwen, that’s the only reason he remains on the team, unfortunately, but it seems he’s ticketed to the 4th line RW
I saw a report this morning that the crowd funding campaign was successful and Norlinder will be signing with MoDo. Pretty pathetic though.
A bit unusual to sat the least. W hat’s the story there Howard? Did he get lost in the Habs’ D depth?
Basically. By my estimation there are at least 6-7 LD in the Habs system who are ahead of him on the depth chart, even after trading Harris. And his performance in the AHL was subpar.
George O
Ridly Greig, is a light weight, we need to keep him focused on his game and development…
We need a big guy on the Sen’s that will make other teams think twice about taking liberty’s like the two big NYI two UFA players.
Cal Clutterbuck would be perfect for RW, they could wave MacEwan down the road…or play them 50-50
and big LW Matt Martin is also avalable
bring one or both in as PTO….
im not saying they play every game but maybe against the big heavy teams so brady spends lest time fighting everyone
The Oilers could also do with one of these guys with kane out for 4+ months…. and with Daniel Nurse you never know what version of Nurse your going to get…⁉️
The story is the usual fan/pundit hype about a prospect being sure thing, a hidden gem in the 3rd round who just doesn’t have the all-around game for the NHL.
The collection of young D pushed him down the totem pole, Habs tried to move him to RD and that didn’t work.
He’s a young talented player who will carve out a good career in Sweden.
I know we all assume the contract between Ullmark and the Sens comes down to what Linus wants… but I think maybe we underestimate how cautious Staios might be too…
Ottawa has been snakebitten many times in the past with goalie acquisition, so maybe he wants to see how Ullmark plays on this team in this system (whatever that may be…) before signing him long term?
Just a thought.