NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2020

by | Mar 29, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 29, 2020

Rangers owner James Dolan tests positive for COVID-19, a second Avalanche player tests positive, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

THE SCORE: Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan has tested positive for COVID-19. Dolan, 64, oversees the NHL’s New York Rangers and the NBA’s New York Knicks. He’s in self-isolation, experiencing little-to-now symptoms, and continues to supervise business operations.

New York Rangers owner James Dolan.

THE DENVER POST: A second Colorado Avalanche player has tested positive for the coronavirus. The players remain in self-isolation. “No other player or member or franchise staff member has shown symptoms at this time, the team said.” This is the fourth known positive COVID-19 test among NHL players, two with the Avs and two with the Ottawa Senators.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: All four cases have a connection to the San Jose Sharks. The Senators played the Sharks in San Jose on March 7 and the Avalanche faced them on March 8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To date, no Sharks players have tested positive for COVID-19. When the two Senators tested positive, there was some suggestion linking their illness to Los Angeles’ Staples Center as well as the SAP Center, as the club was in the midst of a road trip through California at the time.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators announced Peter Hogberg, father of goaltender Marcus Hogberg, has passed away. Reports in the Swedish media indicate he was battling cancer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hogberg and his family.

TSN: Bauer Hockey is making their designs and supplier info of their full-face visors public to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPORTSNET: Goalie equipment manufacturer Brian’s Custom Sports will produce medical supplies to fight the spread against COVID-19. Part of their effort includes producing 18,000 medical gowns.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2020

by | Mar 28, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – March 28, 2020

Check out the recent free agent and CBA speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THIS SUMMER’S FREE AGENTS COULD MAKE LESS MONEY

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently speculated this year’s NHL free agents could find it difficult landing a financial windfall. If the remainder of the schedule and the playoffs are canceled, they’ll be robbed of the opportunity to showcase their worth. They could also face a flat salary-cap as a result of the loss of hockey-related revenue.

Could Taylor Hall find it difficult to get a lucrative new contract under a flat salary cap for next season? (Photo via NHL Images)

“If your name is Taylor Hall, Braden Holtby, Jacob Markstrom, Tyson Barrie, Alex Pietrangelo or Torey Krug, this is a concerning development”, wrote Fox. “Same goes for soon-to-be RFAs like Max Domi, Anthony DeAngelo, Sam Reinhart, and Tyler Bertuzzi.” He suggested bridge deals might make more sense until NHL revenue stabilizes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One factor Fox neglected to mention was which teams with plenty of salary-cap room might benefit if the cap maximum remains at $81.5 million. They could have a better opportunity to land a quality UFA talent than they would’ve had under a higher cap. They include the Buffalo Sabres (over $47 million committed to 10 players), Detroit Red Wings ($46.2 million invested in 11 players), New Jersey Devils ($55.2 million invested in 13 players), Montreal Canadiens ($63.1 milliion in 16 players), and Ottawa Senators ($41.9 milion in nine players).

The restricted free agents are far more likely to receive bridge contracts than the UFAs. Those with arbitration rights, like Domi, DeAngelo, Reinhart, and Bertuzzi, could use that leverage if their respective teams attempt to use a flat cap as a reason to avoid making more lucrative contract offers. It might also lead to some of those RFAs getting traded if they threaten to go to arbitration to get what they want.

COULD A NEW CBA BE ON THE HORIZON?

SPORTSNET: During his recent “31 Thoughts”, Elliotte Friedman theorized the current high level of cooperation between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association during these difficult times might lead to a new long-term collective bargaining agreement.

Seattle expansion franchise and a new US television deal are on the NHL’s radar. To make everything work, the league needs long-term labor peace. Friedman noted the National Football League and the NFLPA recently announced a new 10-year CBA. If the NHL can get that new TV deal done, he wondered if the NHLPA would be willing to vote for a 10-year CBA. In return, the players could get the Olympics and some form of escrow relief

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman isn’t the only person observing the improved relationship of late between the NHL and NHLPA. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun recently wrote he couldn’t recall a higher level of cooperation between the two sides.

Since the fall of 2018, there’s been growing cordiality between the two sides, culminating in last September’s mutual agreements not to trigger their respective early out-clauses, allowing the present agreement to run to September 2022.

However, LeBrun also noted that relationship will be tested as the two sides attempt to navigate the tricky financial issues raised by the pandemic. If they can successfully work their way through that, the groundwork will be laid for perhaps a smooth transition into a new CBA and long-term labor peace by 2022.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2020

by | Mar 28, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 28, 2020

Two NHL announcers test positive for COVID-19, plus the latest on Connor McDavid, Mark Giordano, Ryan Getzlaf and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

STLTODAY.COM: Long-time Blues television play-by-play man John Kelly tested positive for the coronavirus. He was initially diagnosed with pneumonia earlier this month but said he’s feeling much better. Kelly and his family are in quarantine and receiving medical treatment. The Blues are encouraging anyone who was on their March 11 trip to Anaheim to face the Ducks to self-quarantine and report any symptoms to the team’s head trainer.

OTTAWA SUN: TSN 1200 Senators color analyst Gord Wilson tested positive for COVID-19. He wasn’t feeling well following the Senators’ road trip through California earlier this month. “It’s a flu-like nothing I’ve ever had,” Wilson said. “We’ve all had the flu and we’ve all had bad colds. This is completely different … completely different. It grips you.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Kelly and Wilson make swift recoveries.

TSN: If the NHL returns to action, Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano believes the 2020 playoffs could be one of the best because every team will be healthy. Meanwhile, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said there should be some regular-season games before the playoffs begin. “I don’t know if we can just step right back in and have playoffs. Game 1, have Calgary come to Edmonton and guys are running around trying to kill one another in the first game in two months. It’ll end up as the Stockton Heat vs. the Bakersfield Condors.”

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid would prefer some meaningful regular-season games before starting the 2020 playoffs (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Good points by both captains. The rosters of the playoff clubs wouldn’t be as banged-up as they would be under normal circumstances when the playoffs begin, but the players could benefit from a few meaningful games under their belts before jumping straight into post-season play. However, it’s the coronavirus that will ultimately determine if there will be a resumption of the schedule and what form it might take.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Building a backyard chicken coop is one way Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is coping with the strict stay-at-home orders in Orange County.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Getzlaf hasn’t flown the coop during this foul situation. Thank you, thank you! I’m here every day, don’t forget to tip your host!

SPORTSNET: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly believes there’s a summer window of opportunity for the league to complete this season and the playoffs. “I think as time has gone on, we’ve recognized we might have a bigger window than we had originally thought with respect to the summer months and when we have to finish things to be ready for a full regular season next year,” Daly said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers feel – not unreasonably – the league should just cancel the season and look toward staging a normal 2020-21 campaign in the fall. However, the powers-that-be feel very strongly about returning to action to recoup as much of their lost revenue as possible while crowning a 2020 Stanley Cup champion. As I noted earlier, however, the course of the coronavirus will determine if that summer window exists.

THE SCORE: The league has also assured the Montreal Canadiens will get to host an NHL draft one way or another. It was originally scheduled for Montreal on June 26 and 27.

OTTAWA SUN; Speaking of the 2020 NHL Draft, Bruce Garrioch reports league officials don’t expect there will be much change in the seedings for the draft lottery if the regular-season schedule is canceled.

If the lottery were staged today, the Detroit Red Wings “would have the best odds of winning the No. 1 overall pick at 18.5 percent and would be followed by the No. 30-ranked Senators at 13.5 percent. But Ottawa actually has a combined 25 percent chance of winning the lottery because it also holds the San Jose Sharks’ top pick from the Erik Karlsson trade, and their odds are 11.5 percent.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch isn’t the first person to take note of this, as several readers of this site also raised this point in recent days. Either way, the Sens are in a great position to land a couple of top prospects in this year’s draft.

NEWSDAY: Construction of the New York Islanders’ new arena at Belmont Park was halted yesterday as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SUN-SENTINEL.COM: Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola has committed to paying the team’s full staff through the entirety of the coronavirus pandemic.

CBC.CA: Former NHL defenseman Tomas Kaberle is delivering takeout meals from his wife’s Toronto restaurant during the pandemic shutdown.

“It’s kind of fun. If I can make them laugh at this time, whatever it takes,” said Kaberle, who played almost 12 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs. “I’ve got repeat customers asking for me, which is just funny,” he said. “One of our customers, I made their son laugh and made their day, and stuff like that. So that makes me happy.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice to see retired players stepping up to do their part during this crisis.










NHLers Not Giving Up Hope, But Recognize Season Could Be Over

by | Mar 28, 2020

NHLers Not Giving Up Hope, But Recognize Season Could Be Over

 










NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Calgary Flames

by | Mar 27, 2020

NHL Free Agents & Trade Candidates – Calgary Flames

 










NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2020

by | Mar 27, 2020

NHL Rumor Mill – March 27, 2020

Check out the latest Rangers off-season speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers face a daunting challenge to re-sign Tony DeAngelo this off-season. The 24-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights with 53 points in 68 games this season.

Can the New York Rangers afford a big raise for defenseman Tony DeAngelo? (Photo via NHL Images)

It could cost the Rangers at least $6 million on a long-term contract. The two parties could agree to a short-term bridge deal around $5 million per season. Failing that, DeAngelo could become the first Ranger in over a decade to file for arbitration, but that’s not an alternative favored by anyone.

A cap crunch is coming for the Rangers, with Jacob Trouba earning $8 million annually, Adam Fox due for a big raise down the road, and promising Nils Lundkvist within their system. If signing DeAngelo proves too difficult, Brooks suggested shopping him for a legit top-nine forward with top-six potential.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Rangers have over $67 million invested in 15 players for next season. Assuming the cap remains at $81.5 million, a $6-million annual average value for DeAngelo will eat up almost half of their roughly $14 million in cap space.

If they can find a way to shed the final season of Henrik Lundqvist‘s contract (or a significant chunk of it), it would free up room for DeAngelo’s new deal. Still, it might also be a good idea to sell high on DeAngelo if they’re confident Trouba will improve, Fox won’t regress, and a promising youngster like Lundkvist can make an easy transition to the NHL.

Brooks also reported there was some discussion within the Rangers front office if they would be better off with a prototypical north-south forward (like Columbus’ Josh Anderson) rather than a finesse-oriented one like Pavel Buchnevich. While the 24-year-old winger surfaced in trade speculation, the Rangers weren’t close to moving him.

A primary reason is his compatibility with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider on and off the ice. He also reached career highs this season in assists (30) and points (46).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buchnevich also has another season remaining on his contract with an affordable $3.25-million AAV. They can afford to hang onto him for another season and see if that chemistry with Zibanejad and Kreider continues to flourish.

Brooks reports Jesper Fast‘s future with the Blueshirts is in doubt. The 28-year-old winger will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Management had preliminary discussions with Fast’s camp before last month’s trade deadline but failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

A lower-than-projected salary cap for next season means fewer dollars for the Rangers, but also for other clubs, which could make it difficult for Fast to find better options elsewhere. Brooks speculates the Rangers could circle back to Fast once the fate of this season is decided.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing RFAs like DeAngelo, Brendan Lemieux, and Alexandar Georgiev could leave the Rangers with little room to retain Fast. Unless, of course, they find a way to shed Lundqvist’s contract.