NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 4, 2025
The Oilers re-sign coach Kris Knoblauch, the Lightning reportedly extended coach Jon Cooper’s contract, the Predators sign Luke Evangelista, the Senators acquire Kurtis MacDermid, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed head coach Kris Knoblauch to a three-year contract extension. His new deal runs through the 2028-29 season. Knoblauch’s record is 94 wins, 47 losses, and 10 overtime losses in 151 games. He’s second in wins among NHL coaches over the period.
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knoblauch’s solid record as head coach isn’t the only reason he got an extension. It can also be another way for the Oilers to entice captain Connor McDavid into signing an extension. Knoblauch’s ties to the Oilers’ superstar go back to their days with the OHL’s Erie Otters over a decade ago.
TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper quietly signed an extension several months ago. LeBrun isn’t sure how long the new deal is, but Cooper is signed beyond this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s odd that the Lightning wouldn’t announce Cooper’s new contract, especially after there was speculation over the summer that he might head to the Utah Mammoth at the end of this season. Nevertheless, it’s not surprising that they’re keeping him in the fold.
Under Cooper’s coaching, the Lightning have been the most successful team in the NHL since 2014-15. Over that period, they went to four Stanley Cup Finals (winning the Cup in 2020 and 2021), reached the Eastern Conference Final twice (2016 and 2018), and won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018-19.
THE TENNESSEAN: The contract standoff between the Nashville Predators and winger Luke Evangelista ended Friday, with the two sides agreeing to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: These negotiations dragged on longer than necessary. It was rumored that the Predators were offering $2 million annually while the Evangelista camp sought $3.25 million. It shouldn’t have taken up the entire training camp and preseason period to close that gap.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators acquired forward Kurtis MacDermid from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Zack MacEwen.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators wanted more muscle after getting thumped by the Montreal Canadiens during a recent preseason game. Meanwhile, the Devils freed up some cap space by swapping MacDermid’s $1.15 million cap hit for MacEwen’s $775K.
The Devils remain above the $95.5 million salary cap by $2.895 million, but they could place sidelined defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic and his $4 million AAV on long-term injury reserve to be cap-compliant when the regular season begins next week.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Devils, defenseman Brett Pesce could miss their season-opener with an undisclosed injury.
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs center Scott Laughton is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury. They also placed forward David Kampf on waivers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kampf was among 12 NHL players placed on waivers on Friday. He’s expected to clear waivers given his $2.4 million AAV.
TSN: Montreal Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
TSN: Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer was fined over $2,200 for roughing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel during a preseason game on Thursday.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers claimed winger Cole Schwindt off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights. Schwindt was part of the package the Panthers sent to the Calgary Flames in 2022 to acquire Matthew Tkachuk.
THE ATHLETIC: The Minnesota Wild claimed defenseman Daemon Hunt off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had been part of the return sent to the Blue Jackets last season for defenseman David Jiricek.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Givani Smith earned a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes after attending training camp on a professional tryout offer. He will be sent to their AHL affiliate in Chicago if he clears waivers on Saturday.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson was released from his PTO contract with the Wild on Friday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could be the end of Johnson’s NHL career. The 38-year-old defenseman spent 19 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and the Avalanche, winning a Stanley Cup with the latter in 2022.
THE ATHLETIC: The Buffalo Sabres parted ways with director of player development Adam Mair following his September arrest for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
The fact it did take up the entire training camp and preseason period to close a $1.2 mil gap in the Evangelista negotiations while sitting on just over $9 mil in cap reserve and just 1 to sign, is further evidence that Trotz – while a very good coach – is at the opposite end of the scale when it comes to running a franchise. And he STILL has $6,148,697 in reserve.
That leaves Alexander Holtz in Vegas as the lone unsigned RFA, where they are already $7,638,571 over the cap and only Pietrangelo’s $8.8 mil poised to bail them out of that by going on LTIR. They also have 22 signed 13F 7D 2G so if they want a full 23 and 14 F they need to get Holt signed to a deal costing no more than $1,161,429 off the cap without remaining over.
This seems like a perfect opportunity for some rebuilding team to swoop in with a no-compensation offer-sheet of $1.5 mil and see if a change of scenery and new linemates can get Holtz back to the 16-goal range he reached with NJ in 2023-24.
So sign Holtz for about the $1M expected and maximize the $8.8M of Petro’s LTIR and get on with it! What is the holdup?
Keeping Knoblauch was a no brainer. Say what you will about having a team with Connor and Leon but truly, the defensive accountability of both as well as the entire team really flipped with Kris as coach.
Obviously there is more than the lone component of the new coach, (roster, hard lessons)but with Kris the oilers can and do win 2-1 games now. Wasn’t really true prior and never more highlighted when they were eliminated by Vegas despite outplaying them much of each game in that series.
I mean Leon openly stated a goal of his is to one day win a selke…(he finished 6th in voting last year).
As for Trotz – and I will throw Verbeek in as well…what they heck are they trying to prove with this silly tough nose negotiations…when all it does is make players miss large parts of or all of camp after they sign an extension that we all saw coming anyway lol.
Holtz has shown nothing in NJ or Vegas to deserve anything more than the minimum NHL salary, on his next contract. He seems destined for more AHL seasoning to provide he isn’t another 1st round flop
If Vegas has soured on him as a 1st Round bust why haven’t they simply optioned him to the minors? Or place him on waivers?
The fact they’ve done neither at this late date suggests they still see some POTENTIAL upside in his game.
” Senators acquired forward Kurtis MacDermid from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Zack MacEwen.”
Dumb move equivalent to the TML signing of Reaves a few years ago.
Paying $1.15m for a guy who plays less than 5 min a game because…. Green wants a bigger goon.
Sens failure to intimidate last Tuesday in both physicality and score made Green want his guy MacDermid who barely got ice time for him in NJ
I know lots of folks dismiss Arber Xhekaj as being nothing but a fighter but the guy plays 15 minutes a game.
Mathieu Olivier is a heavyweight, but he plays between 12-14 minutes a game.
Neanderthals in the NHL are supposed to be a thing of the past.
Olivier also netted 18 goals, last year. He’s more than a goon being strong defensively with the ability to add secondary scoring.
It’s a head-scratcher for sure. Can’t see how this plays well.
I feel like the habs forced Staois hand on this one. I watched the game. There were a ton of uncalled penalties for the sens and the habs were taking liberties. MacEwan couldn’t help the Sens with a part of the game that is a part of hockey. Sens and habs are going to be playing lots and you could tell St Louis has sent a message to his team regarding toughness. Staois replied and this helps ensure Tkachuck doesn’t have to drop the gloves every time wifi (who is a goon) tries his shenanigans. I personally like this move and I think we will see him in action tonight.
Yesterday I posted the top teams when it comes to their 10 highest cost players off the cap – listing just 20 of the 32 teams. I figured I may as well do the rest and, again there was a bit of a surprise when Montreal wound up being among the Top 10 in that regard. Here’s the complete list (Note: Chicago (Weber) and San Jose (Price) are counting LTIRs to help them reach the cap floor):
81% Florida – $77,225,000
81% Dallas – $76,900,000
80% NYR – $76,717,857
79% Tampa – $75,600,000
77% Vegas – $73,825,000
77% Edmonton – $73,325,000
75% Colorado – $71,725,000
73% New Jersey – $69,550,000
72% Boston – $68,250,000
71% Montreal – $67,700,000
69% Washington – $66,075,000
69% Ottawa -$65,855,714
68% Vancouver – $64,842,599
68% NYI – $64,790,000
67% Toronto – $64,319,049
67% Buffalo – $64,208,571
67% Nashville – $63,489,000
66% Winnipeg – $63,209,523
66% St. Louis – $62,455,767
65% Carolina – $62,102,689
65% Minnesota – $61,550,000
64% Los Angeles – $61,300,000
64% Detroit – $61,275,000
63% Calgary – $60,300,000
63% Utah – $60,042,875
62% Seattle – $58,884,857
61% Anaheim – $58,350,000
61% Philadelphia – $58,100,000
60% Pittsburgh – $57,721,429
59% Columbus – $56,633,333
56% San Jose – $53,891,667
48% Chicago – $46,044,643
Leafs smartly waive Kampf
Pens Dumbassly have yet to waive the likes of Hayes anf Accairi
Re Jack Johnson and “This could be the end of Johnson’s NHL career. ” :
Pens fans wish that his career had ended prior to the Islander series a few years ago
You’re revealing yourself again, Pengy. Well do we remember the endless, repetitive rants about the need to dump Johnson.