NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2026
The projected top-10 goaltenders for 2026-27, the big questions facing the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy sits at No. 1 on the NHL Network’s ranking of the top-10 goaltenders for 2026-27.
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (NHL Images).
Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy last season as the league’s top goalie for the second time, taking home the award back in 2018-19.
Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers were second and third on the list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full listing, and feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
NHL.COM: Determining who will be the first-line center is among the 3 big questions facing the Nashville Predators in 2026-27.
Ryan O’Reilly filled that role for the past two seasons, but he’s 35 and his best years are behind him. Promising Brady Martin could fill that role one day, but he’s not ready yet.
The Predators attempted to shore up their depth at center this summer by acquiring Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury and signing Alex Kerfoot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators could try Bourque at that position, but it will be quite a leap for the 24-year-old forward. He spent the past two seasons with the Dallas Stars but split his time at center and on the wing.
Whether the Predators can avoid another slow start and if they’ll bolster their blueline depth are the other big questions they must address this season.
THE SCORE: A Macklin Celebrini rookie card sold for $1.28 million USD on Saturday, making it the highest public sale for a non-Wayne Gretzky hockey card ever.
The most expensive hockey card sale is a Gretzky O-Pee-Chee rookie graded 10 by PSA, which sold for $3.75 million USD in a private auction in 2021.
DETROIT FREE PRESS: The Red Wings nearly had a deal in place earlier this summer that would’ve brought Anthony Mantha back to Detroit. However, it fell through while awaiting ownership approval, and Mantha subsequently signed a two-year contract with the New Jersey Devils.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mantha began his NHL career with the Red Wings. He debuted in 2015-16 and spent nearly six seasons with them before getting traded to the Washington Capitals in 2021.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is looking for a new team as he attempts to continue his professional hockey career. The 30-year-old signed a two-year deal with KHL club Spartak Moskva. However, he terminated the final year of that contract, hoping to return with an NHL team.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Georgiev spent eight seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks from 2017-18 to 2024-25. He had a career-best performance in 2022-23 with the Avalanche, winning 40 games with a 2.51 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and five shutouts.
However, Georgiev’s performance collapsed in the following seasons. He signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres last year, but began the 2025-26 campaign with their AHL affiliate. In November, he was placed on waivers to terminate his contract, leading to his departure for the KHL.
Georgiev could get a professional tryout offer from an NHL club in need of experienced goaltending depth before training camps open next month.
CALGARY SUN: The Flames hope that promising Sam Honzek has a breakout season. The 22-year-old winger missed most of last season recovering from upper-body surgery.
RG.ORG: Detroit Red Wings prospect J.P. Hurlbert’s dream will take him to the University of Michigan this season. The 18-year-old forward grew up in Texas but is a lifelong Red Wings fan. Detroit selected him with the 23rd pick in this year’s draft.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run this spring has led to a run on team merchandise this summer.
Waiting for ownership approval? Sounds like is shows how the trust in Wings’ management had faded with the people who write the checks.
Most trades usually require ownership approval. Nothing unusual about this.
Not a trade Lyle. Mantha was a UFA, so they botched getting him signed.
Thanks for the correction, Eagle. And the same thing applies. Like trades, free-agent signings also require ownership approval.
Yeah but you always got the impression that Wings’ management had freedom to make whatever moves they thought could improve their club. They wasn’t the over management from ownership that exists with so many other teams. This is Mantha too, the contract couldn’t have been that much of an impact in the overall financial picture. I just think it shows a hesitancy with decisions that had not existed in the past.
I hate to suggest that the Wings do the “Buffalo Sabres” maneuver here but…might be time to bail on this rebuild and just cut bait.
Trade anything value and start over with new GM
I love this. Can someone please share this with the Toronto media…I think that…no, I’m sure they will be completely surprised to hear this. 🤯🙄
I don’t think anyone of us who would be lucky enough to own a team, ok with not being in the loop and have the ability to make the final say in what may be your best, favorite, or personal asset isn’t realistic, right?
I don’t know if it shows a mistrust or anything like that but like all things that happen in the team, the results are usually produced by group discussions of varying points and opinions and people you entrust. I don’t think it’s odd that the owner has the final sign off by choosing the most compelling argument or on the group coming to full agreement.
The reality is the guy signing the checks has the last say!
Some one hit wonders on the top 10 goalie list in Dobes,Wallstedt, and Vladar. What of Jet Greaves,Karel Vjmelka,Scott Wedgewood,Lukas Dostal, and Filip Gustavsson to name a few. These best of lists are subjective at best but I would not put Dobes,Wallstedt, and Vladar above the rest at this time.
Dark G – speaking of the Sabres, they traded Brandon Montour to Florida for a pick that turned out to be Stiven Sardaryan, a player they failed to sign. So, the Sabres traded Montour for nothing.
14 years of darkness.
For sure, Toronto. They likely have to regress from their blistering pace last half of the season, and one game away from the Conference finals. Dawn has come to Buffalo.
The goalie position has become like the reliever position in baseball.OVERSATURATED!
I don’t know what you mean. I cannot over look or underestimate or even stress enough about that position simply by witnessing the Covid season where we saw the Habs get to the finals, which they had no business being in if it wasn’t for their superstar and future first ballot hall of fame goalie. Only a goalie can steal a game, keep games close and/or shut the door or blow it for the team. Besides a center, there aren’t many players that will determine a teams success.
Never did I say the position was not important,but I made reference to the fact that so many seem to be average. Of the top ten goalies listed in the NHL survey I believe 4 of them played on teams that did not even make the playoffs.
Gotcha 😃