NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 22, 2025
Vladislav Gavrikov’s expected role with the Rangers, the latest on Maxim Tsyplakov’s contract negotiations with the Islanders, Canada fills out its coaching staff for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NEW YORK POST: Vladislav Gavrikov is expected to be the shutdown presence the Rangers were lacking on their blueline last season. The 29-year-old defenseman signed a seven-year, $49-million contract with the Blueshirts on July 1.
New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (NHL Images).
It’s expected that Gavrikov will be Adam Fox’s partner on the Rangers’ top defense pairing when they open their season in October. According to NHL.com, he finished second in stick checks among all defensemen last season and second in defensive-zone stick checks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gavrikov enjoyed a career-best performance last season with the Los Angeles Kings, stepping up when top blueliner Drew Doughty was sidelined for over half the season. His experience and all-around defensive play should provide a welcome boost to the Rangers’ defense corps.
Turning to the Islanders, a new contract for forward Maxim Tsyplakov is the lone unfinished piece of business for new general manager Mathieu Darche. The 26-year-old right winger filed for salary arbitration on July 5.
The arbitration period began on July 20 and runs to Aug. 4, but no date has been publicly announced for Tsyplakov’s hearing. A resolution could come at any time before his hearing.
Both sides could be awaiting the arbitration date before negotiating an agreement. Tsyplakov also became a father on Saturday, which is understandably a bigger priority for him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hearing dates are usually publicly announced before the start of the arbitration period. That hasn’t happened yet. The players and the teams may have already been informed privately.
TSN: Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights, Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers, and former Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer will be the assistant coaches for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Tampa Bay Lightning bench boss Jon Cooper is the head coach for Canada. He’s bringing in the same assistant coaches that he had for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
SPORTSNET: Philadelphia Flyers prospect winger Porter Martone has committed to Michigan State University for 2025-26. The 18-year-old was chosen sixth overall at the 2025 NHL Draft. He was captain of the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads last season.
BELARUS HOCKEY: CSKA Moscow has shown an interest in winger Kevin Labanc. The 29-year-old is a nine-year veteran of the NHL. He spent last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Labanc was a once-promising scorer with the San Jose Sharks. After reaching a career-high 56 points in 2018-19, his production declined as he struggled with consistency. A shoulder injury last season limited him to 12 points in 32 games.
THE ATHLETIC: NHL goalies are welcoming the upcoming changes to the rules for emergency backup goalies (EBUGs) in the new collective bargaining agreement.
Under the new CBA, EBUGs will now travel and practice regularly with the team. It will help lessen the workload for NHL goalies during road games.
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger explained that teammates who participate in optional skates need a goalie to practice with. He would sometimes strap on the pads for the good of the group rather than rest for the upcoming game.
Oettinger said the change was a long time coming. He believes it will help goaltenders stay healthy and have longer careers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oettinger explained that the change to the EBUG system was something the players asked for. It received no opposition from the owners, who understood the reasons behind it.
Is there any mention in the CBA about our EBUG goaltender being better than the two goaltenders
we have? Can we play him when they aren’t injured?
I of course am refering to the situation in Edmonton.
Heh. Nice jab Alan.
Actual EBUG appearances have been rare with, over the past 10 seasons, just 6 of some 13,000 seasonal games needing to employ one, and none ever getting into a playoff game in that same span.
This past season, not one appeared in a game. In fact, the last time one played was on January 28, 2023 when, with 2:26 remaining, Matt Berlin went into the Oilers’ nets against the Blackhawks.
Before that it was 2020 when the Hurricanes had to play Zamboni driver David Ayres … who actually was credited with the win against Toronto. And before that you have to go back to 2018 and Scott Foster getting into a game with Chicago.
Ah yes the famous Zamboni driver. I forgot about him. We needed him in the playoffs against Florida. A winning record.
The Islanders are currently shown at Puckpedia with 23 players committed to for next season – 14F, just 6D and 3G – and a cap reserve of $3,875,000. It’s doubtful they’ll keep 3 goalies – Sorokin, Varlamaov and Rittich – with the latter likely being farmed, adding his $1 mil cap hit to the reserve.
Among the 14 Fs, the only one who is waiver exempt is 5’ 8” 156lb LW Maxim Shabonov who, in 65gp with Chelyabinsk of the KHL last season, had 23g 44a 67pts, adding 10g 10a 20 pts in their 21 playoff games. He is on a $975,000 ELC. If he’s farmed out, his and Rittich’s cap added to the reserve would give Darche $4,850,000 with which to sign 2 – including, I would think, a 7th D.
Their one remaining RFA to be re-upped, 6’ 3” 210lb RW Maxim Tsyplakov, has filed for arbitration and is coming off 77gp with 10g 25a 35pts and a $950,000 ELC. One way or another, he’s likely to get at least $2.5 mil, leaving Darche with about $2.3 mil to fill that 7th D spot.
Varly is still on IR with a knee issue. So Rittich may be there for a while.
https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/varlamov-expecting-to-be-ready-for-isles-training-camp
Just wondering. Why isn’t Paul Maurice on Canada’s coaching staff? Or even head coach? Two Cups ought to qualify.
Howard, just another ? to add to a long litany of questionable decisions by Hockey Canada.
Actually, that question should be directed to Cooper. He’s the one who chooses his coaching staff. Hockey Canada must sign off on it, but they’re not going to question Cooper’s choices.
But who chose Cooper?
I would assume Hockey Canada George.
I’m fine with it, he won 2 cups recently as well, and they just won gold at the 4 nations.
Tough not to give him the gig again this time after you just win it. Why wouldn’t you?
Ray, I guess I’m just puzzled by the fact that a back-to-back Stanley Cup coach is passed over for a role somewhere on the coaching staff.
Maybe, as with Hockey Canada’s choices for the Junior team last season, they and Cooper were looking for someone with “character!”
Crosby is running the show with assists from McDavid and MacKinnon.
Two cups does qualify, Howard. Which is why Cooper was chosen.
The doldrums for hockey news, but are we really going to question why Cooper over Maurice?
Recency bias I guess. I understand that Coopers crew recently won the 4 nations. But why not include Maurice on the staff? I guess one coaching Tampa and the other coaching Florida has created some bitterness between them.
So too has Maurice won two – back-to-back. I don’t think anyone is questioning Cooper as the head coach … but Maurice deserves a spot somewhere on his staff.
Howard, I am not trying to pick on you as you are pretty well thought out.
But Cooper has history coaching Canada’s teams going back to 2017. He was picked as head coach
for there 2022 Olympics, along with DeBoer and Cassidy. Long before any rivalry with Maurice in Florida.
Why choose rivalry as a reason Maurice wasn’t chosen? As I am sure you agree, roles, familiarity and fit are important, and that rivalries go out the window when representing one’s country internationally.
If it ain’t broke…..
I have my reservations regarding Tocchets skills and with DeBoer they have a defensive coach.
Tocchet was on the staff as an assistant at the Four Nations tourney. Like Ray said, if it ain’t broke….
As for Maurice, maybe he wanted the main gig and not to take anything less? In actuality, he probably just wants the time off. Who knows.
And he’s earned it blazing 88’s. Maybe the US scoops him up?
I think Maurice is a great coach by the way and deserves all the credit. Great behind the mic too. The best of the bunch actually.
All valid points Blazing 88’s – have to admit
We should soon start to see some movement for the remaining RFAs – at least those who have filed for arbitration or were taken to arbitration by the team and have not yet settled … this was just published at Puckpedia
Of the 11 restricted free agents who filed for salary arbitration this off-season, seven remain unsigned and now have their hearing dates scheduled.
According to PuckPedia, the hearing dates are as follows:
Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken) – July 25
Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks) – July 28
Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders) – July 29
Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets) – July 30
Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres) – August 2
Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs) – August 3
Jayden Struble (Montreal Canadiens) – August 3
Four players who elected for salary arbitration have since signed this off-season: Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi (Jets), and Lukas Dostal and Drew Helleson (Anaheim Ducks).
I would bet most – if not all – don’t make to the hearing.
The highest to lowest settlements I also bet will be (and aside from Samberg and Kakko, from Tsyplakov to Robertson, not that far apart in terms of $$)
Samberg – Winnipeg
Kakko – Seattle
Tsyplakov – NYI
Timmins – Seattle
Robertson – Toronto
Struble – Montreal
Soderblom – Chicago
Well, that didn’t take long … the first to avoid arbitration is Kaako – 3 years @ $4,525,000 per.
I can see Samberg being settled before his July 30 hearing – probably somewhere around $3.2 mil in a bridge deal.