NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2026
A list of the notable players still available in the UFA market, Daniel Alfredsson joins the Maple Leafs coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Several notable players remain unsigned a week into the unrestricted free-agent market.
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).
Patrick Kane, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrik Laine are among the noteworthy forwards. Defensemen include John Klingberg and Logan Stanley, while Cam Talbot is the most notable goaltender.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: All of these players are now past their prime as stars, but some of them could be affordable depth additions.
Mantha is hoping to leverage a career-best performance (33 goals, 64 points) into a lucrative long-term contract, but his inconsistency and injury history could explain why he’s still unsigned.
Massimo De Luca-Taronno of The Winnipeg Sun recently reported the Jets could consider adding some secondary scoring depth, mentioning Mantha and Laine (a former Jet) as possible options.
MLive.com’s Ansar Khan reports the Detroit Red Wings would like to bring back Kane for another season. They reportedly still have an offer on the table, but it appears he’s looking at other options, including his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.
OTTAWA SUN: Former Senators captain and Hall of Famer Daniel Alfredsson has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an associate coach. Alfredsson was an assistant coach for the Senators from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alfredsson’s signing surprised fans of both clubs, who remember his role as captain of the Senators in “The Battle of Ontario” between the two teams in postseason competition from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.
It’s believed that former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin, the Leafs’ new Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations, played a role in bringing Alfredsson to Toronto. While the two had their on-ice battles, they are good friends off the ice.
Speaking of the Senators, they officially announced Claude Giroux’s new one-year contract on Tuesday. The deal has a $2 million base salary, with an additional $3 million in performance bonuses.
THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators hired Vukie Mpofu as assistant general manager.
Mpofu spent the past three seasons as director of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that, he was the manager of hockey operations for the Los Angeles Kings (2021-2023) and the Vegas Golden Knights (2020).
THE PROVINCE/CALGARY SUN: Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 in Calgary were shut down on Tuesday by Rogers Sports and Media, along with four other stations across Canada.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: AM talk radio has been dying in recent years as listeners turn to podcasts and other sources for sports news and information. Nevertheless, it’s a devastating blow to the respective staff of both stations. My thoughts are with those folks who lost their jobs yesterday.
Surely is Leo Carlsson is worth $16mil then Patrick Kane on an affordable contract is worth $10mil. I kid obviously…it is surprising to see some of these names still available. Maybe Laine should go oversees for a year and try to find his game again again.
I’ve been listening to the Fan 960 for almost 30 years.
Between that and The CBC losing broadcast rights to the NHL, I’m not a happy hockey fan right now.
What the hell?
Same with me in Ottawa. AM radio is alive and well for anyone who thinks podcasts are dumb. Unfortunately I’m in the minority on that one.
Very sorry for the fans of those two stations
I hope they don’t take The Fan 590 off the air . I listen daily . Sad to see these guys lose there jobs.
As the world of greed sets in for NHL for more Dollars. We as fans are being pushed away. From cost to watch is now controlled by one station. I am over 60 now and my children and grand children have lost interest in hockey. I am the last one who still watches the game. I used to take them to games in Calgary when it was affordable but in the last 8 years it is out of touch for me to have them enjoy it with me. Lyle you are my go to information with my coffee. Thank you for your great work and to all your readers who have the daily comment section kept going.
Gotta think something is or was going on in Ottawa. Reports that Bradley leaving was welcomed by a lot of the players since it was reported they had issues with the podcast and especially that episode with their dad on it.
Alfie wanted to be part of the staff and heard there was some sort of issues not job performance related…you gotta admit the guy did a heck of a job with Stutzle. I don’t mind having him behind the bench and cutting his teeth with the Leafs that will eventually help him become a head coach in a few years.
Yes, I’m not sure we’ll ever really get the inside scoop of why Alfredsson switched. It is a tough spot for both Sens and Alfie to be a a member and a coach for your club. I don’t hold any hard feelings, and I’m glad the organization gave him a chance to get into coaching. I am a little disappointed he will not be there for the arrival of Eklund, however and the bunch of new Swedes coming in. I thought Alfie was maybe part of the voice as to why they were brought in. Apparently not.
So glad G signed though. I’m very excited to see what this forward group can do. Besides Stutzle, no superstar, but a super deep talented team. To think that Halliday, G and Amadio or Burakovsky could be your 4 th line says a lot about the depth. This team was one of the top teams in possession and shot metrics last year, I think people forget that. Yes Brady was a solid player, but if he was a problem in the locker room his exit will only make this team better IMO.
+AM stations in the US that haven’t fit Big Company models have been snatched up by operators with lower costs, automated operations, and networks. There is enough revenue based rural and mobile listeners to support; while most of the small town 1KW family operations also stay on the air for strictly local reasons. If a license is dark in the US one applies through the FCC, it’s not bought and sold unless as a going concern. The Freqs shut are reserved to Canada by treaty and are “clear” at night; be shocking if someone didn’t want them.
Could someone please give me the job description for Director of Hockey Operations?