The questions facing the Golden Knights this season, an update on Quinn Hughes’ contract talks with the Wild, the latest on the Flyers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: How the Vegas Golden Knights respond to new head coach Ryan Craig is among the three big questions facing the club in 2026-27.

Craig was promoted from head coach of the Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate after the team parted ways with John Tortorella, who replaced former Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy in late March. Tortorella guided the club to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

Finding a way to replace the offense of departed winger Pavel Dorofeyev and sorting out their goaltending are other notable questions this season.

Limited salary-cap space forced the Golden Knights to trade the 25-year-old Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers in June. Meanwhile, Adin Hill and Carter Hart will jockey for the starting goalie role.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have one of the NHL’s oldest rosters entering 2026-27. That could become an issue as they attempt to maintain their place among the Stanley Cup contenders in the Western Conference against some of the rising young clubs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin gave an update on his contract extension negotiations with superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes during a Monday appearance on The Chad Hartman Show.

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin (NHL Images).

Guerin acknowledged that Colorado Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar’s new contract, with its $20.4 million average annual value, creates a bar for Hughes, but suggested that the 26-year-old Wild blueliner “might be after different things.”

“He’s a different guy. He has a different personality and has different things in his life that are important to him. Who knows what he’s gonna do in the end,” Guerin said.

The Wild GM maintained that he has a good relationship with the Hughes camp. “There’s no tension. Communication has been good. I don’t have anything disheartening to say.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers (especially some New Jersey Devils supporters) believe Guerin’s comments suggest Hughes won’t re-sign with the Wild. It’s no secret that the 2024 Norris Trophy winner hopes to play with his brothers Jack and Luke, who currently play for the Devils.

Hughes is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Plenty of time remains for the Wild to get him under contract, but speculation about his future will grow if he’s not signed before the regular season begins.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere doesn’t believe that signing Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet reset the NHL market. Briere signed the 21-year-old Carlsson to a five-year offer ($18 million AAV) on July 3, but the Ducks matched it six days later.

Briere believes the market was trending higher because of the rising salary cap. He accused his critics of taking a simplistic approach by criticizing the Flyers.

“Someone’s going to get that money somewhere. It was just a matter of time,” Briere said. “Honestly, I don’t think some of the players that signed the big tickets would have signed for less without the offer sheet. So no, I don’t believe it played much of a factor (in the market).”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Briere is correct that the rising salary cap ensured some of those players would’ve received significant raises regardless of his failed attempt to sign Carlsson away from the Ducks.

Nevertheless, that offer sheet set the bar for what followed. San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier acknowledged as much after re-signing young superstar Macklin Celebrini to his five-year deal ($18.8 million AAV). Several projections had him receiving between $15 million and $17 million.

That was also the same range projected for Colorado Avalanche superstar blueliner Cale Makar before he signed his eight-year extension with its record-setting $20.4 million AAV last week.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Vancouver Canucks are rebuilding their roster, but that’s not discouraging Filip Hronek. Despite the club’s struggles over the last two years, the 28-year-old defenseman remains positive, pointing to their fan support.

“We like the city, and obviously the fans in Vancouver are great,” Hronek said. “They were supporting us even though we didn’t have a good year last year, and they still are showing up to the games, and it was sold out.”

Hronek indicated he likes the city of Vancouver overall, and that’s why he signed with the Canucks for eight seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are trending toward younger talent, but they’ll need a veteran presence on their blueline like Hronek to mentor their inexperienced defensemen.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs center Calle Jarnkrok signed a three-year contract with Swedish club Brynas IF, for whom he played four seasons from 2009-2013 before moving on to the NHL.

Jarnkrok, 34, spent 13 seasons in the NHL from 2013-14 to 2025-26. He began with the Nashville Predators and spent eight seasons with them. He did brief stints with the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames before spending the past four seasons with the Maple Leafs. In 774 regular-season games, Jarnkrok had 143 goals and 173 assists for 316 points, and 23 points in 105 playoff contests.

TRIBLIVE.COM: For the first time since 1999, Mario Lemieux is no longer part of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ ownership. Lemieux and his business partner Ron Burkle sold their minority stake in the Penguins when the Hoffmann Group purchased the franchise from Fenway Sports Group.

SPORTSNET: Houston mayor John Whitmore said his office is excited about the possibility of landing an NHL franchise. He told The Sporting News on Monday that his office is ready to do whatever it can to facilitate that process. “We’ll definitely be a better location than Austin.”

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Former goaltender Marty Turco and former team executive Les Jackson will be inducted into the Stars’ Hall of Fame in December.