NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 1, 2026
Reaction to the Devils’ trading Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers, the latest notable free-agent signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW/FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The New Jersey Devils traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank to the Florida Panthers for winger Evan Rodrigues, center Jesper Boqvist, and prospect Ben Steeves.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom and Rodrigues are the main pieces of this trade.
New Jersey Devils trade goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers (NHL Images).
The Panthers’ acquisition of Markstrom spells the end of Sergei Bobrovsky’s seven-year tenure as their starting goaltender. The 37-year-old netminder is departing as an unrestricted free agent after he and the Panthers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension.
Some have suggested Bobrovsky might still return if he doesn’t find any suitable offers via free agency. That’s unlikely to happen, considering the Panthers also acquired backup goalie Akira Schmid earlier this week from the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 36-year-old Markstrom is in the first season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million. He is returning to the club where he began his NHL career in 2010-11, spending four seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
Markstrom has had his ups and downs in recent years and is four years removed from being a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2022. Nevertheless, the Panthers appear confident that he’ll regain his form with their solid defensive system in front of him.
The Devils were seeking more depth to their forward lines. The 33-year-old Rodrigues should be a good addition to their middle-six lines. He has a year left on his deal with a cap hit of $3.075 million. Rodrigues steps up in postseason play, tallying 15 points in each of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup runs in 2024 and 2025.
Speaking of the Devils, they re-signed winger Arseny Gritsyuk to a three-year, $9.75 million contract. The average annual value is $3.25 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gritsyuk, 25, had a promising NHL debut last season with 31 points in 66 games.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Vegas Golden Knights traded defenseman Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins for blueliner Parker Wotherspoon. The Penguins are retaining 50 percent of the 28-year-old Wotherspoon’s $1 million cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move is primarily a salary-cap dump by the Golden Knights, shedding Korczak’s $3.25 million AAV through 2029-30. The Penguins were willing to part with Wotherspoon for the 25-year-old Korczak because the latter is younger and plays a more physical style of defense.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights re-signed defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to a six-year extension worth an AAV of $4 million. They also hired former Colorado Eagles head coach Mark Letestu as an assistant coach.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed forward A.J. Greer to a four-year, $17 million contract. The AAV is $4.25 million. Greer, 29, was acquired from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenseman Radko Gudas on Monday.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Claude Giroux has informed the Senators that he will test the free-agent market today after their contract talks fell through.
Giroux, 38, has spent the past four seasons with the Senators. He’s left the door open to returning to Ottawa. Meanwhile, the Panthers and Montreal Canadiens could show some interest in him.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Senators re-signed forward Nick Cousins to a two-year, $3.175 million contract extension.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alexander Steen has officially taken over from Doug Armstrong as the general manager of the St. Louis Blues. Armstrong remains with the Blues as president of hockey operations.
Meanwhile, the Blues bought out the final season of winger Jonathan Drouin’s contract, making him UFA-eligible on July 1.
TSN: The Utah Mammoth signed goaltender Sebastian Cossa to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2 million. Cossa, 23, was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on June 26.
The Minnesota Wild re-signed winger Bobby Brink to a one-year, $2.75 million contract.
BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres hired former NHL winger Milan Lucic as a pro scout.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The immediate reaction to this on social media was, “What does former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller think about this?” Lucic ran over Miller during a game between the Sabres and Boston Bruins in November 2011.
Giroux to the Habs would be a more intriguing move than heading to Miami … again.
He’d definitely help that young team with his experience … not to mention his face-off abilities in key situations.
I would prefer the Habs work out a trade for Petterson if the ask isn’t too much and the Canucks retain at least $4-5m. Or a trade for Marchenko if one could be worked out. Or signing marchment.
If those options don’t look like they’ll pan out then I think Giroux would be a great fall back. Could give him a one or two year bonus filled deal as a bridge to Hage. And it’s not too far from home for him.
I think Vancouver will retain 3m max, and they will want something substantial for that and the player, like a really good prospect or next years first, etc
If I were any team, I’d stay away from Werenski and Larkin. Talent aside, who needs these me-first players. Had it with this nonsense.
Would be good to hear from Miller in the Lucic hire. Betcha he’d take the high road, what’s good for the team.
Why would Miller chime in on a Sabres hire? Isnt he scouting and developing goalies in San Jose?
Last I heard BLU3villian, ex-goalie Ryan Miller is indeed working in the Sharks system.
The Lucic hit on Miller is legendary with Sabres’ fans, the primary reason why they hate Lucic. Miller wasn’t pleased either, so it’s logical to say that he’d be a little pissed about hiring the guy who ran him over. He was out for a period after the hit
According to Greg Wyshynski, Werenski has vetoes a trade to Dallas
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/49233262/columbus-zach-werenski-vetoes-trade-dallas-source-says
100% agree.
“I don’t like playing on this NHL team making millions of dollars, no, I want to play for THAT team because my friend is there”
Is this midget hockey.??
If these guys just pulled a Lindros I’d get the ire.
Larkin has spent 11 years in Detroit, and Detroit has failed him.
Werenski has spent 10. And for whatever reason. Columbus has just not been a team that can attract free agents or retain players.
IMO, they’ve earned the right to ask to move on. My only complaint is that it’s made public . Not sure which side is necessarily guilty of making these things public. But it should remain behind closed doors.
Lindros situation much worse than the current situation barring maybe Larkin. But most of these guys are just yelling their teams they won’t resign during free agency. That’s very courteous of them. It potentially allows the team to get something instead of lose them for nothing. Saying I won’t resign with certain teams that trade for them is also courteous. Those teams don’t waste assets on them. A lot of people seem to forget these are humans and not names in our fantasy leagues.
CO most people forget that contracts have term that expires and it’s an option to continue or not. It’s not mandatory. If your career is only 15-20yrs and your sole purpose is to win a championship, if you’re in a place that doesn’t seem to get their s#it together, if you fulfill your contractual obligations and decide to move on, it’s your right. If you’re one of the best players, you can choose and there will be many calling you.
I think it’s the leaking and reporting that isn’t doing us fans or players/teams any favors. Some stuff I heard regarding Werenski is that he told the team back in April regarding him not resigning when he completes his current contract and is understandably pissed this now got out. Honestly, I really don’t understand why Columbus is in this position other than it might have to be management or owner because the city, people, fans all seem like a perfect place to play.
Re Miller,Lucic,hockey players have short memories. Did the Florida. Panthers have anything to say when they traded for Marchand.These guys go after each others heads in the playoffs and in the off-season their sharing golf carts.
Sr, the Rangers traded for Korpisalo … you got one of your wishes anyway
I gotta be honest, I’m getting sick of people saying that because a player wants to move on and put himself in a better position to win the cup and on a team that he sees at a better situation, as selfish and not loyal. Who the “F” do you think you are that you have a right to say that about anyone.
How many kids grow up, skating on an outdoor pond and shooting pucks in the barn or driveway and think, “Golly, I hope I get drafted by a team that will never make the playoffs and I can score a goal when my team is getting shellacked 6-1. But, Hey, I’m the highest paid player on the team.” B.S.
Hockey is a business from all sides, and the PLAYERS are the commodity. You don’t pay money to go to a game and watch the Coach or the GM or the trainer, you pay to watch players. You think Gretzky wanted to get traded, where was the LOYALTY? You think Modano wanted to finish his career in Detroit? Where’s the LOYALTY?
Just because you’re in a crappy marriage for 25 years and you work at the same job for 40 years that pays $35,000/year and don’t have the ba!!z to leave, and because a player makes more per game than you make in a year that you have the right to tell them to be miserable. And we wonder why players need to step away from the team for “mental health” concerns.
Sorry for the rant. But can we stop with the 1960’s version of loyalty, when there were only 5 other choices than the team you were on…Just Stop!
BTW, this post isn’t intended for anyone specific, it’s just the overall feeling of, “he’s on my favorite team where’s his loyalty”.
Agreed. I hate the greed talk , loyalty talk from the average Joe.
Most people would slap their bosses mother and 💩 on his desk for a better opportunity or preferred destination.
Hell, most hourly employees would do it for a dollar more an hour. Then want to hold athletes to a standard they wouldn’t live by.
Agree with this, too. Let’s not forget this is the billionaires (owners) vs. millionaires (players). And also don’t forget, the salary cap came about not because of “greedy players,” but owners who couldn’t control their spending. A pox on the house(s) of whoever makes these things public, instead of keeping the dirty laundry out of sight.
100%
I’ll reiterate it was odd that the pens didn’t get a pick back for holding salary. Even a late round one. Woortherspoon was one of the best bang for your buck players in the league last year. Possibilities are maybe they plan to trade karlson so they don’t need his partner? I know they got a young get player with more upside but it seems odd. Maybe they thought his season last year was a flash in the pan? Or that if he plays the same this year as last he would price himself out?