NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – June 14, 2026
The latest on the Hurricanes and Golden Knights on the eve of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Devils gauge the trade market for Jacob Markstrom, the latest Dylan Larkin speculation, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors.
THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille listed three keys for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday.
Whether Mitch Marner can restart his push for the Conn Smythe Trophy and dealing with the absence of two-way center William Karlsson are among the keys for the Golden Knights.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
Since his hat trick performance in Game 3, Marner has only one point in five-on-five play. Meanwhile, Karlsson will miss Game 6 (and possibly Game 7 if required) with an upper-body injury.
Meanwhile, Gentille wondered how Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers follows up his “worst game” of the playoffs. He also wondered if their struggling power play can produce as well as it did in Game 5, when they scored twice with the man advantage.
Ehlers had three assists in Game 5, but also took two uncharacteristic delay-of-game penalties, with the first resulting in a Golden Knights goal.
TSN: Hurricanes former starting goaltender Frederik Andersen remained the team’s third-stringer during practice on Saturday. Brandon Bussi will be their starter for the third straight game, while Pyotr Kochetkov will serve as his backup.
Bussi replaced Andersen after the latter gave up four goals in the second period of Game 3.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella is doubling down on Carter Hart as his starting goaltender. Despite Hart giving up at least four goals in each of the previous five games in this series, Tortorella believes the netminder has a better game in him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes can become Stanley Cup champions with a win in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas. A win for the Golden Knights will force the seventh and deciding game on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports sources claim the New Jersey Devils are gauging the trade market for goaltender Jacob Markstrom. He also indicated that a deal isn’t imminent.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lack of quality goaltending depth in this summer’s free-agent market could push teams into the trade market for help.
Markstrom’s coming off a difficult season, finishing with a record of 23-19-1, a 3.07 goals-against average, and an .883 save percentage. He’s in the final season of his six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. He starts a two-year contract extension on July 1 with an average annual value of $6 million and a 20-team no-trade list in 2026-27 and a 5-team NTC in 2027-28.
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan believes the Detroit Red Wings must land a first-line center for Dylan Larkin. Proposed packages of draft picks, prospects, wingers or goaltenders won’t address their need for a suitable replacement for Larkin.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently reported the Florida Panthers have made an offer for Larkin, but he didn’t reveal the details.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely the Red Wings will get a first-line center straight up for Larkin. They’ll either have to swing a three-team deal or use whatever assets they receive and try to make a separate move to address that need.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen speculated that Larkin’s addition in the trade market could delay the New York Rangers’ efforts to trade Vincent Trocheck. He noted that the Red Wings’ interest in the 33-year-old center could intensify if they don’t get a center back in the Larkin trade.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of Trocheck, Jack Studley believes he’ll remain on the Boston Bruins radar as they search for a No. 1 center this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin has a three-team trade list, though his camp is reportedly open to expanding it. Teams seeking a first-line center that aren’t among his preferred destinations could continue to pursue Trocheck, but the latter will likely have to wait until the Larkin saga is settled.
SPORTSNET: Michael Amato listed four players who could become contract buyout candidates this summer.
Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes tops that list, followed by winger Ondrej Palat of the New York Islanders, forward Jordan Greenway of the Buffalo Sabres, and winger Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kotkaniemi and Palat are the more likely buyout candidates.
Kotkaniemi has four years left on his deal with an AAV of $4.82 million. He’s been a healthy scratch throughout this postseason.
Palat has a year left on his deal with a $6 million cap hit. The Islanders acquired him from the Devils at midseason, but the move did little to improve his performance.
Gallagher has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $65 million. He’s been linked to the Vancouver Canucks in the rumor mill, but the Canadiens might have to retain part of his salary. Greenway (one year, $4 million cap hit) could still have value in the trade market.
JK also has the U26 1/3 buy out window closing after July 1. They didn’t play him to keep him healthy for the buy out.
Greenway being bought out is unlikely. He can be retained for the buy out amount and traded for positive return.
What sort of positive return Dan?
I suppose, when you’re 6′ 6″ 230 lbs and a 2nd round pick, there will be some semblance of interest. But not only is he frequently absent due to injuries, his offensive contributions when he is available which, over 475gp, work out to 82-game averages of 10g 19a 29pts, say he’s no better than a 4th liner. And I just don’t see too many teams giving up anything significant for a 4th line LW costing $4 mil off the cap, even if it is just for 1 year.
He could still fetch a 6th or 7th round pick. Even future considerations is better than a buyout…
Nobody touches KK or Gallagher for free.
Greenway was just another bad trade by the Sabres, one of many the past decade. Time to cut bait, if there is a taker out there
The problem with Jacks theory is Trochek is not a 1st line ctr. If bruins are going to give up top picks and young assets they be best do it for a legit 1 ctr or just be patient and let Hagens grow into it
Teams looking for Goaltending could have 3 potential candidates in Hellybuck,Markstrom and Binnington. Interesting in what readers say about the center position. Everyone is looking for a first line center. Teams that have one are searching for a second line center . How many legitimate first line centers are there in the league now. Of the 32 teams which ones have a legitimate first line center that plays in all situations.
Could Kotkaniemi produce more offensively elsewhere?
He’s one of those young players we talked about a few weeks ago, a young guy who might flourish in the right situation somewhere else.
Red Wings buyout Compher and then sign JK to replace Compher’s lack of production. 😒
Possibly, I suppose. But, heading into his 9th season he has 82-game averages of 12g 20a 32 pts and, like Jordan Greenway, that is 3rd/4th line production at a cost of $4,820,000 per off the cap for 4 more seasons.
I don’t see anyone offering up anything tangible based on the off chance that maybe he breaks out for them.
The fact Brind’Amour has used him in just 2 of their 18 playoff games says a lot.
If he’s bought out and doesn’t then move to Europe to finish off his playing days, some team will likely sign him at a bargain-basement cap hit to see if there’s anything salvageable,
If a player requests a trade with a NTC they should tell him to drop it and let all teams have a chance, why do gm’s give these out like candy. Now they are in trouble getting back little or next to nothing because there are only a few teams he will go to. Stop giving out NTC and the problem will be solved.
As for a fair deal how about Barzal for Larkin even up. Both are around same age and contracts line up.
Maybe Detroit is on Matty’s 22 no-trade list………
If you’re a Free Agent, and – all else being equal – one team offers you $4M per year and a NTC, and the other team offers you $4M and no NTC, which do you think the player will choose?
It’s a benefit. If you don’t offer it, the other GM will. And there goes your FA signing.
If KK is bought out, LAK are the team that should jump all over him and they will reap the benefits of a player who has been mis-handled.
The kid has talent, work ethic but ruined from day 1.
In Montreal he was thrown into 1C when he should have had another year in Europe to put some meat on his bones.
He was too skilled to keep down but he was a bambi on ice, not mature enough physically.
Getting thrown into the QO nonsense by Carolina didn’t help, a huge overpay that he couldn’t live up to. Got Trocheck released on cap crunch, got a long term contract as an ego driven owner didn’t want to admit failure.
Necas didn’t get the icetime or pay that he deserved while they kept pushing KK.
He’s made a ton of undeserved money, way too much pressure, a 25 y/o who has 7 years in the league beating down on him.
Afresh start without lofty expectations with a low contract would give him the chance to shine, in LA he could be their 1C in year 2 of a contract.
I’d take him in a flash in Montreal but those bridges have been burned, pressure would be relentless with no chance for success.