NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2024

by | Oct 9, 2024 | News, NHL | 39 comments

The Panthers, Blues and Utah HC win their season-openers, the Senators sign Linus Ullmark, Panthers re-sign Carter Verhaeghe, the Kraken name their new captain, Igor Shesterkin rejects a hefty offer from the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**BREAKING NEWS**

The Ottawa Senators signed goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.25 million.

Ullmark, 31, was acquired from the Boston Bruins in June. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner is earning an AAV of $5 million on his current deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier reports claimed the Senators wouldn’t pressure Ullmark into signing an extension, preferring to give him time to get established and adjust to his new team and city. There was speculation that this season would be “one and done” in Ottawa, suggesting he’d either get moved at the trade deadline if still unsigned or departing as a free agent next summer. 

This move should provide the stability between the pipes that the Senators have been lacking for some time, provided Ullmark plays up to expectations. While it’s a significant raise in pay, it’s only for four years, encompassing what should be the remainder of his playing prime. 

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers raised their 2024 Stanley Cup banner and scored four first-period goals to defeat the Boston Bruins 6-4. Sam Bennett tallied twice and Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo gave up six goals on 35 shots in his first regular-season game with the Bruins. He struggled to contain rebounds but his teammates’ sloppy defense didn’t help.

At one point, Panthers fans trolled the Bruins by chanting “We want Swayman!”, referencing Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman, who missed training camp and preseason over a contract dispute before signing an eight-year deal on Monday. He was the backup for this game.

Panthers defenseman Adam Boqvist left this game after taking a puck to the face during the first period.

Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images).

Following this game, the Panthers announced forward Carter Verhaeghe signed an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $7 million. The AAV of his current contract is $4.16 million.

Verhaeghe, 29, has flourished as a scorer with the Panthers over the past four seasons. He tallied a career-high 42 goals and 73 points in 2022-23 and had 34 goals and 72 points last season.

Dylan Guenther scored the first regular-season goal for the Utah Hockey Club in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at their inaugural game at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Guenther finished with two goals, Barrett Hayton had a goal and an assist and Nick Schmaltz collected two assists for Utah. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard picked up two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah got two goals in the first period and was up 3-0 near the middle of the second period. The Blackhawks made it interesting by narrowing that lead to 3-2 before Utah scored twice within the final minute of the third period.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou scored twice as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Philip Broberg scored his first goal with the Blues while goaltender Jordan Binnington made 30 saves for the win. Vince Dunn and Eeli Tolvanen scored for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken also introduced Jordan Eberle as their new captain during the pregame player introductions. He’s their first captain since Mark Giordano, who was traded to Toronto in March 2022.

Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell became the first woman in NHL history to work a regular season game as an assistant, associate, or head coach.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Igor Shesterkin rejected an eight-year, $88-million contract offer from the Rangers. The $11 million AAV would’ve made him the league’s highest-paid goaltender.

The offer was leaked to the media one day before the Rangers’ season opener on Oct. 9, which is also reportedly the deadline set by Shesterkin’s representatives to get a deal done. The 28-year-old netminder is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’s reportedly seeking an AAV of $12 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If an agreement isn’t reached by Oct. 9, the Shesterkin camp could shelve negotiations until the end of the regular season. I’ll have more about this story in today’s Rumors update.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers placed winger Evander Kane on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) and signed defenseman Travis Dermott to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson will start the season on injured reserve. He suffered the undisclosed injury during training camp and missed all their preseason games.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler could miss the club’s season opener on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. He’s been dealing with numbness in his leg after taking a puck to the knee during the Flyers preseason game against the Bruins on Oct. 1.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel will be sidelined for three to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Mark Friedman on waivers Tuesday. Others on waivers include Florida Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger and forward MacKenzie Entwistle, and Golden Knights forward Raphael Lavoie.







39 Comments

  1. So, Lyle, I read your comment yesterday that 12 is not far from 11, suggesting it wouldn’t be a deal breaker for the Rangers.

    One the one hand, IMO Shesterkin can go fish. He hasn’t demonstrated he is worth that much more than the others top flight goalies.

    On the other hand, go ahead NYR, pay him. That will gum up your cap nicely for the next several years. Helps my Habs.

    • If Price has an AAV of $10.5M and Bobvrosky is $10M, then based on talent alone Shesterkin is def worth more than $11M.
      Having said that, I do wish he’d take the $11M so that it leaves more room for the team around him. But even $12M will probably be a deal in 3-4 years if the Cap keeps rising.

      • If the Rangers ever do bend and give Shesterkin, say, $12 mil per styarting next year, with the cap rising to an expected $92.5 mil, they’d be spending 61% of their cap – 56,142,857 on these 6 players:

        Shesterkin – $12,000,000
        Panarin – $11,642,857
        Fox – $9,50,000
        Zibanejad – $8,500,000
        Trouba – $8,000,000
        Kreider – $6,500,000

        So, they’d have 39% left – or $36,357,143 – with which to fill out the rest of their 23-man roster – 17 players.

        They have 5 pending RFAs – Kakko, LaFreniere, Miller, Jones, Robertson – whose expiring deals total $10,684,500. They’re likely looking at something around $15 to $18 mil to re-up all 5. Using the $18 mil, that would leave them just over $18 mil to sign 12.

        Then there are the pending 7 UFAs – Smith, Vesey , Blidh, Lindgren, Harpur, Ruhwedel and Quick whose expiring deals total $12,652,200. Not all will be back – perhaps none in fact – but they would need to find adequate replacements in addition to 5 other bodies to bring them to 23.

        Bottom line: a $12 mil deal for Shesterkin would, of necessity, lead to several other major roster moves.

    • IMO I wouldn’t pay a goalie over $10 million. The goaltender isn’t as valuable to the team as the top forwards or defencemen. That is why they haven’t been paid as much.
      If I was Chris Drury I would be contacting the Wild and ask them Wallstedt plus what for Shesterkin?

      • Kevjam, why would Minnesota – or any other team for that matter – want any part of a goalie seeking $12 mil+ per and getting themselves into that fiscal mess?

        Over half the league is sitting on cap situations which has them either over – some by huge amounts – or with cap space ranging from 0 to something less than an ELC!

        On top of that, Shesterkin has a 10-team no-trade list and you can almost bet that includes every team in various stages of a re-build.

      • Ottawa,

        LU. signs a 4 year Extention with the Sen’s for $8.25M for $33M now he is a Sen for 5 more years

        I said yesterday him and his family really like ottawa….
        An other Great Move bye Staios👌

      • I just grabbed a team on the top of my head that isn’t a prime destination for players and that has a good young goalie. lol
        If no team has the cap space to trade for Shesterkin, then what team is going to offer him $12 million in the offseason? Defiantly not a contending team.
        As for the 10 team NTC – the 8 Canadian teams, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Anaheim, and San Jose are 13 teams that will probably be on a NTL before Minnesota.

      • LOL. Gotcha.

        Except, Guerin still has to ice a team this season operating with almost $15 million less than most others due to the Parise/Suter buyouts.

        As for Wallstedt, they thought highly enough of him to take him in Round 1 in 2021 – 20th overall. He has put up good numbers in the minors, is cost-controlled for the next 3 years, and Fleury is still performing pretty good for them, so I doubt taking on a goalie who could be demanding $12 mil+ is on their radar.

      • Which contending team will have $12 million in available cap space to sign him in the offseason? Teams that will need goaltending would need to subtract a big piece or two of their team to fit him in? Would he be worth it? Or would doing what the Sens did this season be a better way to go?
        Looking at the contending teams this year, the only team that I can see that would benefit from getting Shesterkin would be the Kings, and they are right up against the cap.

      • A goalie alone can win the cup… figuratively of course.

  2. For every Shesterkin there’s a Carter Verhaeghe who signs a “good contract”.

    He’s been on the radar for years and could easily have played the games Swayman and Shesterkin have.

    Any team would like to have Carter Verhaeghe and his two way play, goal scoring and clutch performance.

    • Yes please – give me a Verhaeghe at $7M before Raymond at $8M, and long before a Shesterkin at $12M.

    • Several teams did have him – Toronto drafted him 82nd overall in Round 3 in 2013 – then dealt him to the NYI for Michael Grabner,

      NYI, in turn, dealt him to Tampa for somebody named Kristers Gudjevskis ansd he was on a cup winner there. For whatever reason – cap issues??? – Tampa did not extend a QO when he became a RFA and, as a free agent, signed on with Florida.

      • I was hoping Habs would step in when Tampa didn’t extend him a QO.

        He would have fit in perfectly at a position of need , Centre.

        He wasn’t a scorer then but was very good on the draw and played a strong two way game.

        Mind you I also wanted the Habs to go for Joel Eriksson Ek another young guy who wasn’t “producing” but played the right way. LOL I suggested trading Daneault for him.

        If only those deals were done, the Habs would be in a different place…..and if pigs could fly.
        Armchair GMs have such an easy life.

      • LOL … I hear ya …

        I guess, in the final analysis, Verhaeghe just liked the life in Florida

    • My initial reaction to Verhaeghe contract was that he could have gotten more, but I see now that he will be 38 when contract ends. It’ll be an albatross the last three years. Had he taken a five year deal the AAV would have been quite a bit larger. He took a lower AAV for a longer term.

  3. I didn’t get to see the game last night, can’t really comment on that.

    Read Sam Bennet ran over the goalie and no reaction from the bruins. That is disappointing.

    Trent Frederic called out Tkachuk who asked to fight Frederick and when Frederic took the bait, Tkachuk wouldn’t drop his gloves, sending Frederick to the box. Frederick thought it was disrespectful to ask to fight and then not fight, he said he didn’t know players did that. He does now.

    • I couldn’t watch it either Caper, glad I didn’t.
      Judging by the #’s as well as the score, the B’s got dominated.
      Florida had 60% of the scoring chances, 65% of the high danger ones.

      If the B’s give up over 20 high danger chances a night, they have no chance, and I don’t care who is in net for you.

      I expect the B’s leadership to provide a wakeup call before the next game, you don’t want to start the year playing this way. We’ll see if they respond they way they have in the past.

  4. last nights games

    Wached the Bruins & Panthes game,
    Panthers had the bruins running around @5-2
    Bruins look like they will need to add top 6 scoring

    Panther d was not a good, Dmitry Kulikov who they added this season will be a Liability he did not look good at all,
    panther do have some young d in the minors ready to come up….

    watched some of the Utah- Hawks game,
    The young Utah forwards looked really good, Dylan Guenther & Logan Cooley & Barrett Hayton👍

    when they get d/man John Marino that will help there d…
    they could be a tough team to beat this season….❗️

    • Agree .. Bruins are going to have issues scoring goals they are a legit goal scorer short … someone that will go to the net and score … Panthers have 6 players that do that

      • Joe,they scored 4 last night! Most nights that s a W Now their defensive play! Awful!

  5. Bruins… not surprised at outcome of last nights game.. Panthers had their top 9 in place from last year and were in sync from the get ..Bruins had many new faces in lineup & they just didn’t look ready plus they started a goalie who probably should be in the minors I can see why Ott moved him ..The Bruins will get much better but it may take a while .. their penalty killing better be on top of its game throughout the season because this team is going to lead the league in penalties

    • Joe if you`re putting the blame on Korpisalo for last nights game then you`re just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the rest of the problems. While Korpisalo did let in a couple of should of had thems, he got got no help from the 18 people in front of him. Peeke and Lohrei didn`t even look as if they could play in the AHL let alone the NHL. You know it was a bad effort when the best Bruin last night was Swayman. Only the first game no need to have the panic button out yet. But to blame the goalie for the disaster when it was truely a team effort

      • He has a track record & it’s hard to ignore numbers don’t lie

  6. I like the safe signing with Ullmark. If it had been longer it might have been scary. I am guessing the brass liked what they saw of him so far in pre-season so they felt it was time to pay.

    I feel bad for Korpi in Boston… not a nice way to start on a new team after having a horrendous showing last season.

    • Yeah …good deal for Staios. At least that will put an end to the seemingly endless jabs from Sr that Ullmark probably hadn’t even bothered to unpack his bags in Ottawa and was marking time to get out of town.

      And that vaunted Boston D didn’t do much to help Korpisalo last night – at least not early in the game when they had to know Florida was going to start with a jump and relentless fore-checking.

      Still, as I tried to warn the Boston faithful, there were a couple of bench-deflating softies allowed mixed with some great saves … and that was Korpisalo in a nutshell – inconsistent.

      They’ll get complete games from him here and there where they’ll think they have a budding Vezina trophy winner on their hands … and then mixed good/bad games like last night and some where he won’t stop a beach ball.

      • yep, it was honestly the same old same old from Korpi. At least the Bs have Swayman coming in soon.

        Not sure why Sr was so intent on trolling RE Ullmark, but yes… this should silence him. On this at least.

      • George,

        What did surprise me about the Ullmark signing, was the amount of the contract before playing a regular season game for the Sens.

        If they were in the playoff race at the beginning of the New Year, it would not have grabbed my attention as much.

        That said, I was also surprised that Joey Daccord was paid as much as he is. Especially, with Grubeur playing Seattle’s home opener last night.

      • Uwey, the contract has to be based upon careful assessment of his game – probably involving watching hours of film of him in action through various situations – e.g. a man down, 2-men down pk – breakaways – shoot-outs – low-shot games – high shot games – scoring chances – etc

        Clearly, they liked what they saw and feel comfortable going ahead. Now they have to hope that Forsberg feeds off the new enthusiasm and goes back to what he was a season or two ago – a very good, steady back-up and not a quasi-starter as they tried to do with him over the past couple of seasons with the likes of Matt Murray, Talbot and Korpisalo – all Dorion acquisitions.

      • Saint,I admit I was surprised by Ullmark,who I like was signed even before he plays a game!Seems to me it’s a little bit of a desperation move! I do wish him the best!

    • I haven’t seen if there is going to supplementary discipline to the Bruins Jones for that nasty slash to the linesman’s forearm.

      The intent was to slash the Rodrigue’s stick out of his hands after the whistle, but the linesman stepped in between them & he took the full brunt of Jones two hander across the forearm.

      Jones was assessed a two minute unsportsman like conduct penalty. To me that was an interesting call!!!

      https://x.com/i/status/1843821778378055877

  7. On another note, all three opening games had a fight in them & there was one in the Devils/Sabres game on Saturday.

    Fighting in the league has been trending down for quite some time now, but this maybe the season it starts to trend upward again.

    • Of course it`s going to trend upward especially with the antics of guys like Rempe and Xhekaj`s threat to everyone. 30 other teams are going to look at their rosters and think do we have somebody to counter these 2 idiots. The teams that do will start dressing their versions and those that don`t will start looking for some insurance.

      • Well said Yogi. And once again you beat me to the punch with the basics. LOL. So I adjusted mine:

        The “goon and fighter-response” factor has always been cyclical .. stretches where some teams load up on one-dimensional thugs in the belief that it will keep the opposition honest with regard to their “stars” – and so followed by just about every other team acquiring their own muscle to maintain the balance. Then, when they see the impact on their cap by someone who’s lucky to see 6 minutes of ice time, and fights become less prevalent, they disappear for a stretch.

        Ottawa has chosen to retain someone like Zack MacEwen, here solely for that purpose, Toronto has Reaves, L.A. has Englund, Philadelphia has Deslauriers, Rempe in NY … at least Washington’s Tom Wilson can also play a decent straight game and not hurt them when he’s out there and choosing to leave the goon aspect behind. But with him it’s always lurking.

      • George the scary part of Rempe and Xhakaj is they attack from behind. They don`t even have enough respect to skate out onto the ice drop their gloves and challenge someone. Their larger versions of guys like Matt Cooke and Todd Bertuzzi. I don`t mind the occasional fight, hockey is an emotional game and emotions will get the better of players. But guys like Rempe and Xhakaj need to go, no place for them anymore

  8. Yogi, I believe most acknowledged goons over the years were – and are – such simply because that is what kept/leeps them in the NHL For many there was little, if any, actual hockey talent to warrant their retention.

    That’s what gets me about guys like Tom Wilson, a huge (6′ 4″ 220 lbs) good skater taken 16th overall in Round 1 in 2012. Over the years he’s played in 754 NHL games with 146g 184a and 82-game averages of 16g 20a 36 pts, and a best single season of 24g 28a 52 pts in 78gp in 2021-22.

    Over that same span his predatory instincts have cost him 30 games in suspensions, 3 of them in the playoffs and even 2 in pre-season, and close to $10,000 in fines, in addition to the equivalent of 24 games lost in penalty minutes.

    All of which suggests he doesn’t HAVE to play that way to keep a job, so why do it? One conclusion is that he has a streak of socio-psychopath running through his veins. Rempe looks to be of the same mold, albeit with little to no actual hockey skills. Xhekaj at least has shown some decent effectiveness on D … someone has to convince that kid that he has the talent to become a decent – and tough – contributor without the predatory stuff.

    • George some players like Wilson are in a category all by themselves. They have size speed skill, but seem to feel the need to have an edge. When I played there were always players who played aggressive to give themselves space on the ice, mostly because a lot of the players didn`t have enough skills to get by. Wilson is in group by himself, whereas Rempe and Xhekaj seem to be relying on a reputation to give them enough space to operate with limited skills. A tough way to play the game, especially if you`re not the toughest dude in the neighbourhood

  9. Xhekaj isn’t a Rempe by any stretch of the imagination, nor is he known for jumping on the back, that’s tosh.

    Not only does MSL not want him to fight as much, Hughes is looking at guys like Mathieu Olivier and Nic Deslauriers for the role.

    Xhekaj is solid D-man with a great first pas and a cannon of a shot, too good to be sitting in the penalty box and his TOI is 15 per game

    • I`ve seen him get into 5 fights so far 3 in the AHL and 2 in the NHL all 5 fights he jumped the guy from behind. I realize you think every player in Montreal is grade A prospect or a NHL superstar, but the cameras don`t lie. Please give it a rest he`s Todd Bertuzzi 2.0. What few skills the guy has doesn`t make up for his antics