NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2025
An update on Connor McDavid’s contract talks with the Oilers, the Rangers name their new captain, plus the latest on the Flyers, Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reports Connor McDavid will not have a contract extension in place with the Edmonton Oilers before training camp opens this week.
McDavid, 28, is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July. The Oilers captain has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
Johnston reports contract talks remain consistent and cordial between the two sides, with no disconnect on terms or structure. League sources believe McDavid’s biggest point of contention is the Oilers’ aging roster. He thinks the club can still contend this season, but they don’t appear to be constructed for long-term contention.
McDavid isn’t chasing a specific number on his contract, and remains open about the length of the deal. Meanwhile, Oilers management remains confident that a deal will be reached.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid could end up signing a three or four-year contract worth around $18 million annually. If the Oilers decline significantly over that period, he can move on to another contender as a free agent while still in his prime as a player.
McDavid could seek the league maximum ($20.8 million for 2026-27), but he could leave some money on the table to help the Oilers maintain a contender. Some observers believe McDavid should accept significantly less than that, but he remains the best player in the league and should be compensated fairly. He’d also get a lot of grief from the NHL Players’ Association if he accepted well below market value, as it would potentially drive down the value of other stars.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers named J.T. Miller as their new team captain. Miller rejoined the club in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks in January. The 32-year-old center becomes the 29th captain in franchise history.
Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin are the alternate captains.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is an intense, vocal player who leads by example. He faces the challenge of captaining the Rangers back into playoff contention following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said there won’t be a reunion with Carter Hart. The goaltender’s agent contacted the Flyers to rule out that possibility.
Hart, 27, was among the five former Hockey Canada players who were found not guilty of sexual assault stemming from an incident in 2018 in London, Ontario. The Flyers did not issue him a qualifying offer when his contract expired in 2024.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bleacher Report’s Frank Seravalli ruled out the possibility of Hart, an Edmonton native, signing with the Oilers. He suggested the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, Utah Mammoth, and possibly the Nashville Predators as potential destinations given the uncertainty over their goaltending situations.
DAILY FACEOFF: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to miss the first one or two months of the regular season as he continues to recover from a triceps injury suffered in March.
Forward Tyson Foerster (elbow) will be in a non-contact jersey when training camp opens for about a week.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks have reportedly signed defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a professional tryout offer (PTO).
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES’ Ben Pope reports Blackhawks backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit remains sidelined by injury as training camp opens and could remain sidelined for a while.
SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks have signed winger Oliver Wahlstrom to a PTO.
THE PROVINCE: Manny Malhotra will remain head coach of the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate for the next two years. The Canucks picked up the option year (2016-17) of his contract with Abbotsford. Malhotra coached them to the 2025 Calder Cup.
Interesting leadership team for the NYR. Miller as captain and the other 4 as alternate captains. Looks like appeasement to me. Looks like s similar situation in Boston. Not naming Pasta looks like they are afraid to put the C on Mcavoy so both are AC at this time.
Miller – considering the mess fhe rangers were last season with more or less the same roster that had made it to the conference finals, I think its a good bet. Time will tell.
Mcdavid – it seems more and more this is a family issue and as maybe is as much about raising their future children as anything else.
Wahlstrom – had shown some good things in his first season but has struggle to find that success since.
Utah and Hart makes a lot of sense in terms of what he would bring on the ice
1Oilerfan, re: “League sources believe McDavid’s biggest point of contention is the Oilers’ aging roster” above.
As things stand now, they have 9 players 30 y/o and up:
Nurse – turns 31 in Feb and will be turning 35 in final year; Lazar – turns 31 in Feb – UFA next spring;
Kulak – turns 32 in Jan – UFA next spring; Stecher – turns 32 next April – UFA next spring; Nugent-Hopkins – turns 33 next April – will be turning 36 in final year; Hyman – 33 y/o – turns 35 in final year; Janmark – turns 33 in Dec and turns 34 in final year; Pickard – turns 34 in April – UFA next spring; Henrique – turns 36 in Feb – UFA next spring; Ekholm – turns 36 in May – UFA next spring.
That is also a lot of UFAs to decide on next spring – not to mention finding equal or better replacements where necessary, and joined in that regard by McDavid himself, Walman and Skinner.
Since large roster turnovers seldom lead to immediate and smooth on-ice adjustment, it’s small wonder that the local media and some among the fan base are getting antsy.
Actually, “10 players 30 y/o and up … “
I thought (read as who I would have picked ; NOT as I thought odds were he’d be picked) it was going to be Fox
Grzylcyck on a PTO; big fall from last year’s Sal
If I’m McD; I’m waiting out the Kaprizov Saga before I sign
I still say Oilers are foolish if they don’t pursue Hart. He is going to make a production (win) increase for whoever signs him
Still 6 RFAs unsigned : McTavish. Hughes, Holtz, Kupari, Evangelista, Kaiser
Alexander Holtz; why no offer sheets?
Knights, once Petro is on LTIR, have less than $1.2 M in space
Signing at anything greater than $1.2 M; and Knights must drop (waive) ONE of Schwindt or Hutton or Korczack to keep under cap. So roster only at 22. Note: It won’t be Korczack; he’d get snapped up by another team.
If another team offers $1.5 M; Knights have to only have 22 (dropping Hutton or Scwindt) and still near Cap with only about $500 K in space.
A signed OS of $1.5 M comes with no compensating pick (threshold is $1.544 M); so risk is only cash
The season before last (starting at 21 years old, ending at 22 years old) Holtz went 16-12-28
He’s only 23; is a RW ; and had a down year last year: 82 GAme pace of 6-12-18
If he’s offered $2 M; only costs a 3rd; and Knights pretty well can’t match as they’d need to drop both of Hutton AND Scwindt and only have 21 on Roster; to be Cap compliant
Offer him 1 @ $1.5 M, and promise of reasonable minutes; see if he bites
Worst case; he says no, up the offer to $2 M; knowing Knight’s can’t match. Costs a 3rd rounder :
(3rd rounder in ‘26) That’s maybe 25% -30% odds at an actual player that ends up in the NHL , at the earliest for 28/29 season vs an NHLer now that has shown he can score 16 goals (at 21/22 years old) AND you retain his rights for a few years
Holtz just isn’t that good. He couldn’t even make his national team. As I have said before, many blamed Lindy Ruff for not properly deploying Holtz, but he’s actually gone downhill.
Stats certainly bear that out for last year ; but 16 goals (at 21 and 22) for Freshman year is reasonable AND is abovd 4th line production
$1.5 M cash as the only risk; why not do an OS
If he takes the bait; the absolute worst case is that he nose-dives; get’s buried and not given a qualifying offer next June
Best case; you give up zero assets; get a top 9 player that gives you 15-20 goals; that you have rights to for another 3 years beyond 24/25
To me; even at $2 M (guaranteed not to match) and a 3rd; reasonable risk to take.
Remember; the 3rd is at best a bottom 6/depth player that at EARLIEST plays in 28/28
So, let Dubas offer-sheet him … he could then join the great McGroarty as a “can’t miss” that does.
Why wouldnt Dumbas do that offer sheet in Pitt for $1.5? Wouldnt he fit the age timeline of their rebuild?
>>>He’d also get a lot of grief from the NHL Players’ Association if he accepted well below market value, as it would potentially drive down the value of other stars.
I’ve heard this before, but it still makes no sense to me.
In a capped league, as long as the team spends to the cap limit, I don’t see why the NHLPA would care how those $s are distributed among that team’s players. Yes, perhaps some other top NHLers on other teams would moan a bit, but they would be drowned out by the greater number of lower tier guys who would now be paid slightly above market rates.
in an uncapped league (MLB, for example), then yes, I see that as a completely valid concern.
Whalercane – McDavid would set the bar where top superstars can expect their salary to be.
Let’s say Mcdavid takes the max allow against the cap which is a shade over 20% for a player. Then guys coming up can easily argue for 15 to 19% of the cap for salary. That is ideal for the union
But of Mcdavid comes in at 15% it becomes more challenging for a player to ask for a bigger chunk than what Mcdavid has.
While mcdavid has to measure that against the team being able to ice a competitive team, the union doesnt care and only should be looking to use it to get their players the biggest chunk they can
If that makes sense to ya
” I don’t see why the NHLPA would care how those $s are distributed among that team’s players”
There are some teams that will always spend to the cap to maximize their team’s chances to go further in the playoffs and max revenues and profits.
There are some teams that will always be at the floor, either on account of rebuilding and loaded with ELCs or tight-fisted ownership.
The stars eating a smaller % of cap space actually would make more players happy as a larger % of them would make more money.
Preaching the importance of role players yet underpaying them on account of cap constraints is a problem and something that Tampa Bay recognized a few years ago when they made some surprising overpays for bottom 6 players that helped win 2 cups.
>>>…McDavid would set the bar where top superstars can expect their salary to be.
I agree on that, 1Oilerfan, but then BY DEFINITION, everyone else on the team would have to be slightly underpaid.
I guess I’m saying, the more the top star gets, the less everyone else on the team gets. Hardly a good thing for the union. Or at best it’s a wash for the union.
But yes, comparative stars on the other teams would love for him to get as much as he can. But that’s an individual player thing, not a union thing.
Whalercaner:
Think about the practical logistics of the NHLPA trying to nudge players to squeeze the max they could get.
Then there is the logic of a player accepting well below market value. Almost all have an agent, and what player worth a contract would sign well below market value?
There may well be a distribution issue on an individual team if one or two players gobble too much of the cap, but on the whole a rising tide lifts all boats. The argument being: if Kaprizov is worth 18 million then, say Rossi is at least half the player Kaprizov is, so 8. please.
Escrow is an issue in bad years, but the actual cap
for players but the cap has never gone down …
Am I missing something?
Your point is valid that the players have agents and want what’s best for them and their players. I’m not arguing that. Every player should get whatever they can.
I’m arguing as to why the Union would care either way.
In a salary cap world – a rising tide does NOT lift all boats indiscriminately. It simply lifts them to whatever the upper limit is set to.
If a superstar makes $5M more than he ‘should’, then that $5M comes as the expense of the other (unionized) team players. Therefore it should have no effect on the Union.
If the salary cap is $90 million – and the team spends to the cap (a key point) – then what difference does it make to the UNION if it’s distributed from $10 mil down to $1 mil, or from $20 mil down to $1 mil, as long as it’s ALL distributed? or heck, even if all 20 players were paid exactly the same?
Now if the superstar accepts $5M less than he ‘should’, and the owner pockets it, that’s a whole different argument and the Union (and players) should be ticked off.
Miller – considering the mess fhe rangers were last season with more or less the same roster that had made it to the conference finals, I think its a good bet. Time will tell.
Mcdavid – it seems more and more this is a family issue and as maybe is as much about raising their future children as anything else.
Wahlstrom – had shown some good things in his first season but has struggle to find that success since.
Utah and Hart makes a lot of sense in terms of what he would bring on the ice.
8787 – I dont think the hurdle between the Oil and Hart is that the Oilers would be open to it, I think Hart wants to play somewhere further from the attention of the Canadian media on the situation.
Noted 1 Oilers Fan
That (Hart nixing any Oiler interest) certainly is a possibility; but I think it is important for Bowman to reach out and convince him that any pushback (and that has dwindled every week since the judges ruling) would continue to diminish over time. He can easily cite Perry, Kane, himself and most of all McTavish.
Hart on Oilers would be a big difference maker (over Pickard; AND would push Skinner to up his game)
The notion that Hart (or any of the other 3 [Formenton as at now can only sign with Sens) are steering clear of Canadian teams because of a higher resistance/pushback in Canada is likely overthinking things.
First of all; as mentioned above; push-back has rapidly declined since the judge’s ruling
Secondly, It’s CITY specific. If there is a Canadian city let’s say; that is highest in acceptance of the 4; then signing there but still being concerned because you still have away games in other Canadian cities doesn’t make sense.
No matter where the player signs; there will be at least 7 games played at a Canadian arena. Bruins, Sabres, Lightning; Panthers; Wings could potentially (depending on Scheduler) have an additional away game vs each of Leafs, Habs, Sens. That’s 10 potential games in Canada.
In the same manner , US based Pacific Div teams could have an extra visiting game vs EACH of Canucks, Oilers, Flames
Hart should sign with a team that gives him a comfortable contract and has a competitive team and that is willing to give him many starts and the opportunity to work towards a starter position
I truly believe he’d push Skinner; snd would probably give an extra minimum 3-5 wins a year; and certainly strengthen the tandem for next year’s playoff run
Oilers will make top 3 in Pac Div no problem; a Skinner/Hart tandem in the playoffs ; IMHO; gives them a much better shot at a cup than a Skinner/Pickard tandem does.
Signing a 2 year contract; and adding a SCF appearance would net Hart a large extension next July
According to TSN, the Grzelcyk P.T.O. with Chicago is confirmed – although Puckpedia has yet to confirm, saying only “it is reported …”
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/ex-bruins-penguins-d-grzelcyk-signs-pto-with-blackhawks/