NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2026
The questions facing the Blues this season, the Senators’ move to name a new captain, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: How well offseason additions Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael boost the offense is among the three questions facing the St. Louis Blues entering this season.
St. Louis Blues center Mason McTavish (NHL Images)
MacTavish, 23, was acquired in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks while the 25-year-old McMichael was part of the return in the deal that sent Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals.
Both players are part of the Blues’ ongoing roster retool toward younger talent.
Whether Joel Hofer can replace Jordan Binnington and who becomes the next captain are the other questions the Blues must address this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish is among the NHL players expected to bounce back this season. Difficult contract negotiations with the Ducks forced him to miss training camp last fall, and he struggled to adjust under new Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville. How well he adapts to this change of scenery will be a key factor for the Blues’ playoff hopes.
Binnington was a fixture in trade rumors last season. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July and could be moved by the March 1 trade deadline if Hofer nails down the starter’s job.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Steve Staios and head coach Travis Green are close to naming a new team captain. They could make the announcement when training camp opens on Sept. 16.
Garrioch’s suggested candidates include long-time defenseman Thomas Chabot, blueline star Jake Sanderson, and first-line center Tim Stutzle.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chabot’s longevity and loyalty to the Senators make him the favorite, but Staios and Green could opt for a younger captain such as Sanderson or Stutzle.
TORONTO STAR: Rising ticket prices are leaving Maple Leafs fans shocked and frustrated, especially for single-game tickets.
Some of them believe the Maple Leafs are squeezing out regular fans in pursuit of corporate dollars. Others believe the club has little incentive to improve its product as long as their arena is sold out and there’s a wait list for season tickets.
A team spokesman pointed out that the recent ticket price increase was two percent, which is lower than the national inflation average. He also indicated that the club’s dynamic pricing continues to provide fans with a range of options, with higher prices for the most in-demand games and lower prices for other games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs are charging what their market will bear, with a significant portion coming from corporate support. For decades, there were dire predictions that escalating costs would hurt the league at the gate. However, that has yet to materialize given its rising popularity and record-setting attendance numbers.
BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres’ success last season created so much demand that they’ve sold out of season tickets for 2026-27. For the first time in a decade, they’ve opened a wait list for tickets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo was a strong hockey town for decades. Their stunning improvement last season has brought back fans who were turned off by nearly 15 years of mismanagement and mediocrity.
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic believes it’s only a matter of time until his rebuilding club becomes a playoff contender.
“The sooner we establish that goal as a team, the more realistic it can be,” Vlasic said. He believes the Blackhawks’ improvement will be driven by a maturing core of young talent and the offseason additions of Patrick Kane and Bowen Byram.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be challenging for the Blackhawks to get off to a good start to this season with first-line center Connor Bedard recovering from shoulder surgery earlier this summer. Overcoming that issue would be a significant step in the right direction.
TSN: Veteran forward Kevin Hayes signed a one-year contract with KHL club AK Bars Kazan.
Hayes, 34, began his 12-season NHL career in 2014-15 with the New York Rangers. He also played for the Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins. In 805 regular-season games, Hayes scored 185 goals and 261 assists for 446 points, and 26 points in 58 playoff contests.
TSN: The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Cal Petersen to a professional tryout offer. A six-year NHL veteran, the 31-year-old Petersen spent last season with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Calgary Flames signed forward Alex Nylander to a PTO contract.
Nylander, 28, has 126 games of NHL experience over seven seasons but has spent most of his professional career in the AHL.
DAILY FACEOFF: According to a report by Chris Johnston of The Athletic, all NHL emergency backup goaltenders (EBUGs) will be required to wear the number 00.
I’ve been saying it for years. Until Toronto fans strap on two and act like real fans and stop showing up to force the team to actually care about the on ice product they will be looking at decades longer.
Chrisms- what makes you think they are not trying to win? Made playoffs 8 of last 10 seasons. 6 of those 100 pt seasons and 3 with 50 or more wins.
Many teams would take that.
Making moves that in hindsight look awful or a lack of playoff success doesnt at all imply the team cares not for the on ice product and isnt trying to win a cup.
Now if we are talking their full history, sure there are points where I agree.. but i dont think that narrative holds up in more recent times.
OMG this crap about Toronto’s product and its fans support of it, is really stupid, dumb. If you’re one of the many misinformed, you need to show me how winning for an organization won’t equate to more profits for them since THATS ALL they care about.
As another note, I don’t know about any of you, but generalizing and blaming fans has also been misleading (again can you show me how general fans can or do control what the team does directly) and really time to let that falsehood go… there’s no basis for it and really makes one sound either jealous or dumb. I am very open to change my stance on all this crap, but you need to convince me with actual proof with facts and figures.
Lastly, show me anyone who wouldn’t want to be in Toronto’s financial situation? Funny, when there was no cap, the Leafs tried hard to buy a cup (said fans of rival teams) by spending (on the wrong guys) top dollar to UFAs.
Like most teams, mix in some poor management, wrong decisions, and unpredictable circumstances and luck, you too will be cheering for a team as hopeless as the Leafs….as a Leafs fan, I’d take that over cheering for anyone else.
One thing that never gets mentioned is the amount of money the Leafs generate for the league and its share paid to the revenue sharing that helps prop up other teams in the league. You’re welcome.
No cups since 1967 is fault of the fans AND the organization. You both gotta wear it, sorry. And yes, thanks for your help with gate revenue or whatever… other teams make more money from 1 expansion franchise than decades of maple loaf gate revenue. Nice try
That article couldn’t have been written any better. Telling the casual leaf fan what the rest of the planet has known for a while.
Mediocrity – with a sprinkle of hope. Is better than winning it all and then bottoming out and selling off the talent. Then taking 5-10 to rebuild. The hope never leaves the average leaf fan. Porous defense…every year. Over paid forwards and veterans….every year….goalies..who needs goalies?? some trade deadline splash that adds a candy coating to the hope (while throwing away meaningful prospects). I swear leaf ownership has used this recipe to perfection for many DECADES.
On the flip side my Leafs V. Sens tickets in Ottawa can now be sold for even more!!! Bonus. I love how Sens ownership turns the hot water off on the nights the Leafs visit so their fans have to wash their hands in icy cold water or not at all (as per usual)
Giroux should be captain, with Sanderson and Chabbot as alternates.
I wish nothing but the worst MM. Enjoy St. Louis. He’s right up there in the turd-o-sphere with Mr. Hart.
Nothing but pure, corporate greed in Toronto.
So what are the Leafs doing that’s different from every other team in the NHL?
Making money? Lol
Ya gotta gimme that one.
👍
Their ticket prices are already in the top two of the NHL. Maybe don’t increase prices every year as a nod to their long-suffering fans.
I have expressed much the same thought over the years as those fans who “believe the club has little incentive to improve its product as long as their arena is sold out and there’s a wait list for season tickets.” In other words, the best, most direct message is to keep butts out of the seats.
And in receiving grief in spades for voicing that thought, I have also come to the realization that there is a HUGE number of rabid hockey fans in the GTA whose love of the game in general, and their team in particular, far exceeds their frustration with ownership. So, when asking the question “why don’t they just keep their rear ends out of the seats” there’s your basic fundamental answer. And, looking at the average attendance around the league for this past season, you could ask the same question of fans in Detroit, Chicago and Vancouver:
20,000 +
Montreal 20,963, Tampa 20,203
19,100 – 19.999
Florida 19,822, Detroit 19,139
18,000 – 18,999
Chicago 18,949, Toronto 18,667, Vancouver 18,662, Dallas 18,533, Philadelphia 18,485, Carolina 18,373, Edmonton 18,208, Colorado (18,120, Minnesota 18,033
17,000 – 17,999
Washington 17,990, Vegas 17,929, Buffalo 17,853, Boston 17,250, St. Louis17,842, NYR 17,576, Calgary 17,549, Los Angeles 17,431, Seattle 17,151, Nashville 17,1218, Ottawa 17,123
16,000 – 16,999
Pittsburgh 16,975, Columbus 16,878, NYI 16,439, San Jose 16,173, New Jersey 16,145
15,000 – 15,999
Anaheim 15,670
Below 15,000
Winnipeg 14,228, Utah 12,478
https://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph_season.php?lid=NHL1927&sid=2026
George,
I won’t speak for other cities but in Montreal there was a period of a lot of empty seats and scalpers were stuck with tickets while being officially “sold out”
I do believe fan reaction makes a difference on top of which corporate greed means being associated with a winner.
A loser is bad for business.
No argument about that last one. Reminds me of a great quote by one my favourite sports characters – Leo Durocher — ” “Show me a good loser in professional sports, and I’ll show you an idiot.”
Ticket prices (for all teams in all major league sports) will keep rising as long as fans keep buying tickets.
Beer prices in Edmonton will keep rising as long as
fans show up for games
That’s true in every arena/stadium. Back during the Blue Jackets first season, the cheapest seat, a beer and a slice of pizza was just under $35US. Now it’s closer to $70US. More than I can afford on my fixed income.
Interested in the fact that I wonder when players salary end, at what point in the season.What is the playoff money like?
Hoo boy Sr … well, you asked so here it is from the horse’s mouth (and the horse is named Web):
“NHL players receive their salary through a combination of regular semi-monthly paychecks, signing bonuses, and escrow adjustments calculated on a daily rate.
Schedule and Distribution
• Pay Dates: Players are typically paid twice a month on the 15th and the 30th during the regular season.
Daily Rate: Base salary is calculated by dividing the player’s annual salary by the number of days in the regular season (usually around 184 to 194 days depending on the schedule).
Season Window:
Pay runs from the day before the regular season begins until the final day of the regular season; training camp is unpaid. Players do not receive regular salary checks from May through September unless they are paid bonuses.
Bonuses and Contract Types
• Signing Bonuses: Many contracts include large lump-sum signing bonuses that are typically paid out on specific dates (such as July 1st), independent of the regular season pay schedule.
• One-Way vs. Two-Way Contracts: One-way contract salaries are paid out fully at the agreed rate regardless of where the player is playing. Two-way contract pay fluctuates based on the exact number of days a player spends on an NHL active roster versus the minor leagues (AHL).
Deductions and Adjustments
• Escrow: The league withholds a percentage (historically around 10% to 13.5%) of every player’s total compensation into an escrow pool to maintain the 50/50 hockey-related revenue split between owners and players. Depending on total league revenues, a portion of this withheld money is later returned or retained.
• Fines and Suspensions: Salary forfeited due to on-ice suspensions is calculated based on the number of games missed relative to the player’s daily rate.”
Playoff payoffs follow – happy reading!
“Once the playoffs commence, NHL players do not receive their regular contract salaries. Because standard base salaries are paid exclusively during the regular season, players technically play the postseason for free from a contract standpoint. Instead, players are compensated solely through a league-wide Playoff Player Fund and highly restricted contract performance bonuses:
The Playoff Player Fund
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) set aside a fixed pool of money—allocated at $24 million—to be shared among the 16 qualifying teams.
• Team Payouts: The deeper a team advances, the larger its share of the pool.
• Locker Room Voting: The NHL determines the lump sum given to a team, but the players themselves vote on how to divide it. Regular starters usually get a “full share,” while injured players or late-season call-ups might get a half-share. Teams also frequently vote to give a cut to equipment managers and trainers. [1, 2, 3]
Based on standard full-share distributions, individual player payouts scale roughly by round:
Playoff Finish – Approximate Payout Per Team –
Approximate Payout Per Player
First-Round Loss
~$429,000
~$18,000
Second-Round Loss
~$859,000
~$37,000
Conference Finals Loss
~$2.06 million
~$90,000
Stanley Cup Finalist (Runner-up)
~$3.7 million
~$164,000
Stanley Cup Champion
~$6.5 million
~$242,000 to $280,000
Individual Performance Bonuses
To prevent wealthy teams from circumventing the salary cap by offering massive postseason incentives, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) strictly prohibits standard contracts from including playoff bonuses. Only two categories of players can legally earn contract bonuses for playoff performance:
• Players on Entry-Level Contracts (rookies)
• Players on 35-plus contracts (one-year deals signed after age 35)
For superstars making $10+ million a year, a winning playoff share is less than a single regular-season paycheck. However, for a rookie or a player making the league minimum, winning the Stanley Cup provides a significant financial boost.”
GeorgeO thank you for your detailed and educational answer to my question. In another life George O you would be hired as a capologist for one of the NHL teams!
Well, it is detailed and well formulated Sr … but not by me … as I said, that horse Web produced it based upon specific phrasing of the question. I just cut and pasted those posts.
Like all other sports,hockey is cyclical. Injuries, players aging out,salary cap considerations,lack of draft choices or being unable to draft higher end talent are just some of the reasons teams start to bottom out. The days of powerhouse teams being great for 10 or 15 years or more are just about over. Making the playoffs is one thing,but being an actual Cup contender is something else. Teams like Tampa might be making the playoffs yearly,but are not good enough to win the cup. You can’t base a teams cup aspirations on past laurels just because they make the playoffs.
Good points, Gary. As you know, as the schedule is winding down and several teams are in a dog-fight to grab the last WC spot, we almost always hear someone use the phrase “just get in, because anything can happen.” But the fact is, while there have been instances of teams just making it at the last moment, and going on to unexpected success, those are few and far between. History shows that either the # 1 or 2 seed winds up with the Cup., with the # 1 boasting a 45% success rate.
Indeed, just one 8th seed, the L.A. Kings, have ever gone on to win the Cup … and that was 14 years ago, while another, the Oilers did reach the finals 20 years ago.
The most recent example was 7 years ago involving the Blues, who were dead last in January but did reach the mid-tier of the playoff group out West before going on to win it all in 2019. Another in that range way back in 1995 were the Devils, and they also took the Cup home.
Contributing factors to these “upsets” include, of course, goalies playing “lights out” – such as Giguère in 2003 or Jordan Binnington in 2019, as well as some teams taking ultimate advantage of the annual “lenient” approach of the referees which always serves to flatten talent gap thereby turning games into mini-wars of attrition. And, with the league closer to parity than it’s ever been – at least in the 30 to 32 team structure – the gap between a seasonal powerhouse that racked up 100+ points, and a 94 point WC team is negligible.
Unfortunately you guys are missing the point.
Why does the NHL want to expand to Houston, Austin, Atlanta as opposed to the places you guys keep mentioning?
Corporate sponsorship, corporate luxury boxes, corporate season ticket holdings, corporate tax write-offs for higher end arena food etc etc.
Those cities have the corporate base to spend the dollars, they need the right ownership, meaning deep pockets not carpetbaggers trying to get cities building arenas for them.
The “regular” fans are there but unable to spend the money to sustain a franchise, they (we) are small cogs in the financial side.
As I mentioned previously the Bell Centre had empty seats, scalpers were selling tickets below cost but you’d never know it because it was officially sold out.