NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2026
The Canucks sign Zeev Buium to a lucrative extension, clarity on Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau’s status, the latest on Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen’s contract talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.38 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buium, 20, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. He joined the Canucks last December as part of the return from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes trade.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (NHL Images)
A skillful puck-moving defenseman, Buium had a promising rookie campaign with 26 points in 76 games, including 12 in 45 games with the Canucks.
The Canucks are taking a big gamble on Buium reaching his potential as an elite offensive blueliner. He’s only 20 years old, and there’s no certainty he’ll play up to the massive expectations that come with this contract. He’s shown promise, but hasn’t done enough to deserve such an expensive deal.
If Buium becomes a superstar, Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson will be praised for his foresight with this big investment. If he doesn’t, it could become one of the worst contracts in the league, derailing Johnson’s plans to rebuild this club into a contender.
SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy clarified the status of Jonathan Huberdeau’s recovery from hip resurfacing surgery in March.
Earlier this week, Conroy said that Huberdeau suffered “a little bit of a setback” with his skating about two weeks ago. The Flames GM now says it was “a poor choice of words” on his part.
“It’s not that there was a setback. It was more in the hope in me that he was going to be ready for camp.” Conroy said. “What I meant was it was a setback that he probably won’t be ready for the first day of camp. That’s where I made my mistake”.
Huberdeau is skating with his teammates and appears close to returning, but there is no timeline yet.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy hopes that Huberdeau might rejoin his teammates at some point during training camp. However, he stressed that it will be when the 33-year-old winger feels 100 percent.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said contract extension talks with Artturi Lehkonen could stretch into the regular season.
Lehkonen, 31, is in the final season of his five-year contract with a $4.5 million AAV. He’s scored 20 goals three times over the past four seasons, but his availability is in question as he’s been frequently sidelined by injuries.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehkonen can become an unrestricted free agent next July. His future in Colorado depends on how many years and how much salary he’s seeking on his next deal. The Avalanche have a projected $11.646 million in salary cap space for 2027-28 with 18 active roster players signed. Nicolas Roy, Brent Burns, and Scott Wedgewood are also UFA-eligible next year.
TORONTO SUN: NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is believed to be closer to returning to Sportsnet. However, it’s rumored that Rogers Communications, which owns Sportsnet, doesn’t want Friedman to also work on Amazon Prime’s midweek games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s contract with Sportsnet expired on Aug. 31, prompting speculation that he could be joining Amazon Prime. Fellow NHL analyst Kevin Bieksa’s contract also expired on Monday, but there’s no indication whether Amazon Prime might be wooing him too.
ARIZONA SPORTS: Arizona State University defenseman and St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich “needs a miracle” after being hospitalized following a training incident last month, his family’s lawyer said.
Mayich collapsed from heat stroke during an outdoor bootcamp-style workout on Aug. 20. Lawyer Robert Carey said the 21-year-old is in a coma, adding that his body has ceased functioning in a fundamental way, and his condition is irreversible.
The university issued a statement on Sept. 3 that the school’s vice-president is reviewing “the workout and related university policies, procedures, and training protocols”.
Leonard Aragon, another attorney representing the Mayich family, claimed a former Green Beret led the workout, pushing the student-athletes beyond their limits. He also alleged the athletes would be punished for stopping or drinking water.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more details revealed about what led to Mayich’s hospitalization, the worse it sounds. His family is pushing the school to do more than conduct a review.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed winger Jacob Melanson to a three-year contract with a $1.45 million AAV.
BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres signed defenseman Zach Metsa to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $900,000.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs inked forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.
Still no word on who is the new Detroit G.M.
Barring a serious injury I dont see Buium pulling a Jim Carrey. Will he end up a #1 pairing d-man possibly but even if he only achieves a 2nd pairing ceiling it shouldnt be too cumberson. Second pairing d-men will be earning 6-7 mill in the near future. You have to take a chance now and again. Kicking it down the road becomes potentially way more expensive. They see him as part of the new core so locking him up earlymakes good business senae
I agree that you have to take a chance now and again, Swamp Dragon. Especially when your detailed analysis of a player’s overall performance to date suggests his positives far outweigh any perceived negatives … which can be fixed through coaching and progressive experience.
That’s the same way I look at suggestions that Carolina could be a destination for Hellebuyck – who has 5 seasons to run at $8.5 mil per at the end of which he’ll be pushing 39 – when they have a young, cost-controlled goalie in Bussi who just back-stopped them to a Cup against some pretty good Vegas scorers.
I disagree partly, yes he could become a 1st pair D though I have my doubts. Thats isnt the issue, the problem is saying if not a 1st pair D he will be a 2nd pair D. Name the teams that have an undersized puck moving D on the 2nd pair that is paid close to 9m. The reason is that teams like to have good, big shutdown guys on the 2nd pair. That means he can play the 3rd pair which will be a very expensive 3rd pair guy. The silver lining is that if it doesnt work out, they can buy him out at 1/3 if that is the result. For the record, I hope it works out
The dollar figure really clouds the reality. That contract is a risky gamble but a gamble that takes an 8% bite out of the cap its first year.
Regardless of what you think the player will eventually become, it’s the kind of risk I’d like my GM prefer to take, ie, bet on a young highly touted player than bet on a UFA who will likely be unmovable where the younger player’s contract takes less and less a percentage of the cap year after year.
I wish they’d bring Cherry back sorry about Elliot, and the rest but I’m in the business. It can be a heartless business. Here today gone tomorrow the pay is good but sometimes the job security isn’t. Good to see those three land on their feet they’ll sign somewhere else if they haven’t already. I heard through one of the on site rumour mills something called “Heavy” based out of Edmonton mentioned the bruins should try to go for Wright. I don’t think you would have to give up too much looks like they want to get rid of him.
Au contraire, John. Back in July Wright’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, confirmed that he and Wright informed GM Botterill that the young center would like to be dealt.
In response, Botterill said he’s try and meet their request, but that he would only do so for a fair return and that he would not be rushed into any deal.
And, as of today, Overhardt has let it be known that Wright – an RFA coming off an expired ELC of $886,666 – will report to training camp and remains fully committed to the Kraken for the upcoming season.
With $17,847,203 in cap reserve, Botterill has plenty to probably come to some form of bridge deal agreement with Wight and his agent.
Hey George maybe Hagens kicks it into high gear just for insurance though I would like to see the bruins get another centre but if the cost is too high for Wright leave it and like you say he might sign short term Try somewhere else it’s always a big risk especially if you have to give up a lot for a guy that was drafted high and the guy in question has not performed the way you’d like him to.Three of the guys on Boston I’m most excited for are Hagens, Dipietro and Brunet. Too bad Dean wasn’t starting this year with the big club.
John Apple, Don t see a need for Wright on the Bruins. He is not a number 1 center and never will be. The entire organization is filled with bottom 9 center candidates. To many to go over the names. On another sight I see they have the Bruins connecting to Bunting. Again not worth it. Neither are these guys reallygame changers and Boston has young players that they need to evaluate now. They would just take up more space on a team that is at best a fringe WC team
Re: the awful Mayich situation. I’m no lawyer, but to me this doesn’t sounds like a ‘training accident’, it sounds like involuntary manslaughter.
Ya, I really feel for the kid. Whose idea was it to bring in the GB? You know what kind of training they go through…
Ha! I was thinking the same thing. How is it not (if he dies) be manslaughter? Really unfortunate and more is needed from the ones responsible to make sure, as freakish as this was, to never happen again.
Edvinsson’s contract just got richer, thanks to Zeev!
No kidding! And whoever becomes the GM is going to have precious little time to work out the details with Edvinson and his agent … never mind dealing with the Larkin mess.
My bet is that the new GM will be current Detroit Tigers manager Jeff Greenberg.
At least he’ll have close to $20 mil in cap reserve to deal with Edvinson – which, I imagine, will be his first order of business.
And, if and when the Larkin mess is resolved, his cap reserve will be further impacted – one way or another – by the returns
His cap hit is $8.7 mil AAV and if what they receive is more in the nature of top prospects or a young, established player still on an ELC, he could still have a healthy reserve heading into the season.
IF.
Tests done during ww2 by the British showed that troops could work almost as hard in the dessert as normal, on the condition that they got all the water they needed. So denying water as in the Arizona case is mindblowingly stupid