NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 1, 2025
The latest on Jason Robertson’s contract extension talks with the Stars, the Wild’s Mats Zuccarello and the Canucks’ Nils Hoglander will miss time due to injuries, Max Pacioretty officially retires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars and winger Jason Robertson have decided to take a “wait-and-see” approach in contract extension talks as a new season opens.
Robertson, 26, is in the final season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. He’s eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July, and can become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if his next contract is awarded via arbitration.
Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).
The plan is for Robertson to play the entire season with the Stars, and then the two sides will revisit their contract discussions after that.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson surfaced as a trade candidate after the Stars were eliminated from the 2025 Western Conference Final. Some teams reportedly inquired about his availability, but general manager Jim Nill said he never intended to move him.
THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE: Wild winger Mats Zuccarello will miss at least the next seven to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on a lower-body injury that sidelined him throughout training camp.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Head coach John Hynes told reporters that Zuccarello’s ailment was a back injury. The 38-year-old winger usually skated on the Wild’s top line, so his absence will be felt during the opening weeks of the regular season.
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander will be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks following ankle surgery.
NHL.COM: Max Pacioretty has officially retired after 17 NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has joined the University of Michigan as a special assistant to the head coach.
Pacioretty, 37, had six 30-plus goal seasons and finished with 335 goals and 346 assists for 681 points in 939 regular-season games, and 28 goals and 58 points in 89 playoff contests. In 2011-12, he was the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty spent 10 of his 17 seasons with the Canadiens and was their team captain from 2015-16 to 2017-18. Traded to the Golden Knights in Sept. 2018, the Canadiens received a future captain in Nick Suzuki as part of the return.
THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forwards Jonathan Toews and Vladislav Namestnikov left Tuesday’s preseason 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild with undisclosed injuries. Head coach Scott Arniel said Toews “tweaked something” and will be reevaluated when the club returns to Winnipeg. There was no postgame update about Namestnikov’s status.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck played in this game after leaving practice with an undisclosed ailment on Monday. Arniel said he will play in the final game of the preseason on Friday against the Calgary Flames.
DAILY FACEOFF: Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators combined for 152 penalty minutes as the Canadiens blanked the Senators 5-0 during their preseason game in Quebec City on Tuesday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a rough game, prompting speculation that both teams could sit their best players during their next preseason game on Saturday.
Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov left the game in the third period after being slashed on his right wrist by Senators forward Nick Cousins, but Habs head coach Martin St. Louis doesn’t think Demidov was seriously hurt.
Twenty-two players were placed on waivers on Tuesday. Carolina Hurricanes forward Tyson Jost and Calgary Flames forward Dryden Hunt were among the players hitting the waiver wire.
$17 M !!!
WT muckitty muck??
This is what you have to pay when your owner publicly announces that he’s going to make Kaprizov the highest paid player in the NHL
Billy G then literally had no bargaining power
$128 M—- Nyet. “I goal score, zho me da munnie”
Great player. Absolutely.
$17 M great. Absolutely not
This contract (starting at 29 years old) will not age well
Signing one year after Drai did. Absolutely no way he’s worth $3 M more than Drai
Injury concerns to boot
Hate to think what the contract’s insurance premiums are going to be
Wild still a few years away from even a peak at a Cup final
I would have traded him for a very good mid 20’s top 6; a fair mid 20’s bottom 6; and a 7th d-man…. 3 players whose total Cap could be in the $12 M range (taking up 3 roster spots instead of 1) and leaving $5 M in valuable UFA acquisition space
Big mistake
8787 many fair points but we cannot understate what Kirill means to the franchise, their fans, marketing and revenue.
You dont trade elite talent for spare change and that is likely all it would be after failed negotiations with 1 yr left on the contract.
You pay your stars, and you build around them imo.
They paid a premium as you sometimes have to do. Minny also has to keep their home grown stars because they are not usually a top ufa destination.
But i think we can all agree that we dont especially think the contract will age well.
I get the premium angle. No argument there.
I agree that you pay your stars
My point was that if Liopold hadn’t opened his mouth, stating publicly that he was absolutely going to make Kaprisov the NHL’s highest paid player; at least Billy G would have some “negotiating” to do.
Liopold effectively publicly signed a blank check and just asked Kaprisov to fill in the rest
Turning down $128 M; just to squeeze out an extra $8 M total; is laughable; and all on Liopold
No public announcement by Liopold; and I’d be lying if I believed Billy G would have had to sign off on a penny more than $14.5 M (that’s $500 K more than Drai, and Kaprizov in no way, is as good as Drai).
This makes McDavid at least at $18 M (and likely bridging) ; then $20 M + per on his final (7 year) contract starting in 3 or 4 years
17 million for 63 games per year? Yikes!
If injured and on LTIR, he will only count for what…..$3.8M??? How is that fair???
No he still counts $17 M; but the Cap relief (unless he is out for the season) is only $3.5 M
Montreal and Ottawa exchanged pleasantries last night. Should be a heck of a series between those guys this year.Keep your fingers crossed on the injury front.
Essentially Montreal has, as usual, a bunch of smallish finesse-first talented individuals on their team.
AND
To offset that, they’ve pushed the narrative that their version of the Klitschko brothers on skates are bonified NHL’ers. Arber is kinda ok as a third pair guy. And maybe the other brother might make the NHL but…any thoughts of pushing the Habs around stops with these two.
Dark G,
Arber Xhekaj happens to be a very good 3rd pairing defenseman, he did draw two penalties last night because he’s actually quite mobile.
Florian Xhekaj was considered to be a nepo-draft pick but surprise, the kid can play.
You’ll be surprised to know that he scored more goals in Laval last year than the highest scoring player for the Belleville Senators.
Senators were hunting Hutson and Demidov last night and the Habs made them pay.
Most important showing last night Dach and Laine skating hard in all 3 zones. These two look healthy.
Not helping the tone of the game was Struble’s cross-check to Jenik’s face with no penalty because the reef “didn’t see it.” Or the ensuing blood evidently.
George,
The cross check was a dumb-a** part of a scrum. I think it was an intended to hit his chest but rode up his arms. Should have been a penalty since player is responsible for his stick.
The blood came from Struble’s fist in the ensuing fight when he put him down.
Jenik was trying to make an impression, took a run at Hutson, had two fights and paid the price.
Per All About the Jersey, Luke Hughes signed for 7 years, $9mm AAV
Looking at some of the Atlantic rosters you might need more than those two!
Luke Hughes 7 years $63,000,000 – $9 mil per AAV
With that Hughes deal in place, and him rep[lacing Dillon among the 3 top cost D, New Jersey goes from 19% to 25% (Hamilton-Hughes-Pesce), joining Buffalo in 3rd place in terms of top 3 D cap costs (a total of $23,500,000 in their case).
They now join Vegas and Florida in being over the cap ($3,983,047) with temporary relief likely coming from Kovacevik ($4 mil per) starting the season on LTIR.
When he comes back, however, they’ll of course need to be cap compliant and not even sending their two optional D down (Casey and Nemec) will do it since their total cap hit is only $1,868,333.
Could Noesen ($2,750,000) also start the season on LTIR and, if so, what are his expectations?
They might be forced into another contract move.