NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2025

by | Apr 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 27, 2025

The Senators stave off elimination, the Avalanche and Golden Knights tie their respective series, the Lightning get a much-needed win against the Panthers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators avoided being swept by the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 4 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Jake Sanderson tallied the winning goal and collected an assist to finish the night with two points. Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto joined Sanderson in scoring their first-ever playoff goals, and Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots for the win. John Tavares, Matthew Knies and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored as the Leafs overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to force overtime.

This series returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 7 pm ET with the Leafs holding a 3-1 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An entertaining game filled with drama as the Senators live to play another day. The Leafs remain firmly in control of this series and could wrap it up on Tuesday, but they’re now 1-12 in series-clinching games since 2017.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scored his first goal in three years to lead his club over the Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game 4 of their opening-round series, tying it at two games apiece. Game 5 will be in Dallas on Monday, Apr. 28, at 9:30 pm ET.

Landeskog also picked up an assist and Mackenzie Blackwood turned in a 23-save shutout. Logan O’Connor, Nathan MacKinnon and Samuel Girard were the other scorers for the Avalanche. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger gave up three goals on 34 shots before being replaced late in the second period by Casey DeSmith.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche outplayed the Stars in this contest, outshooting them 48-23. They also got a big lift from Landeskog’s performance as he continues his remarkable comeback after losing three seasons to knee surgeries.

The Vegas Golden Knights tied their series with the Minnesota Wild at two games apiece following their 4-3 win in Game 4. Ivan Barbeshev scored in overtime and collected an assist and Adin Hill made 29 saves. Tomas Hertl and Nicolas Roy also each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson kicked out 42 shots.

This series returns to Las Vegas for Game 5 on Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 9:39 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights did a good job neutralizing Minnesota forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. The duo had multi-point performances in the first three games, but Boldy was held scoreless while Kaprizov managed one assist. Wild forward Marcus Johansson missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists as his club picked up its first victory of this postseason by dropping the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 3 of their series. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots and Nikita Kucherov collected three assists for the Lightning. Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers, who hold a 2-1 lead in this series. Game 4 is Monday, Apr. 28, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk could face supplemental discipline after being ejected from this game late in the third period for a late hit on Guentzel. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov played in this game after leaving Game 2 with an undisclosed injury following a late hit by Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, who received a one-game suspension for his actions.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson and Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson were each fined $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct in Game 3 of their series on Friday.

Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault is questionable for Game 4 on Sunday against the Capitals. He left Game 3 in the second period favoring his left leg. The Habs had no update on his condition as he was still being evaluated on Saturday. Backup Jakub Dobes could get the call to start Game 4 if Montembeault remains unavailable.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery had no update on the condition of starting goalie Logan Thompson, who left Game 3 in the third period with an injured left leg following a collision with teammate Dylan Strome. Backup Charlie Lindgren is expected to get the start for Game 4.

Carbery said forward Aliaksei Protas could make his series debut in Game 4. He’s been sidelined since Apr. 4 after suffering a skate cut to the foot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Protas’ return should boost the Capitals’ offense. The 6’6”, 247-pound center finished third among their leading scorers this season with 30 goals and 66 points.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is a game-time decision for Game 4 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues. He’s been sidelined since March 23 with an upper-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes officially registered an entry-level contract for Alexander Nikishin with the league. The 23-year-old defenseman could make his debut in Game 4 of their series with the New Jersey Devils.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: University of Denver head coach David Carle has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Blackhawks’ head-coaching position.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2025

by | Apr 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 26, 2025

What’s the latest Blue Jackets speculation? Are the Bruins about to part ways with Joonas Korpisalo? Why haven’t the Hurricanes signed prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a contract? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline expects to see the Columbus Blue Jackets make changes to their goaltending and defense corps this summer.

Goaltending demands the most attention. Starter Elvis Merzlikins improved over last season, but the temperamental netminder struggled down the stretch. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $5.4 million. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has lost confidence in backup Daniil Tarasov, who is a restricted free agent.

General manager Don Waddell goes into the offseason with a projected $41 million in salary cap space. He also has two first-round picks in this year’s draft, one of which could be used as a trade chip.

Waddell has been willing to pursue other clubs’ RFAs with offer sheets. However, his club doesn’t have its second-round pick in this year’s draft, which limits what kind of offer he could make, as he’d need that pick as compensation for a successful signing.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (NHL Images).

Portzline asked Waddell if he might consider buying out Merzlikins or defenseman Damon Severson, who was a healthy scratch 10 times this season. The Blue Jackets GM said he couldn’t say how the summer will play out, but it wasn’t something they were looking at.

Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He seeks a seven or eight-year contract but the Jackets could be unwilling to go that far. They’d also like to re-sign pending UFA blueliner Dante Fabbro.

Forward Yegor Chinakhov was sidelined by an injury for most of this season. Given Waddell’s tendency to ship out oft-injured players, Portzline wondered if he might become a trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets narrowly missed the playoffs this year. They’re loaded with young talent up front but they must improve between the pipes and on the blueliner. Expect Waddell to be among this summer’s busiest general managers attempting to bolster his roster.

Fixing the goaltending will be a challenge. The best potential UFA options are Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils and Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson’s been a fixture in trade rumors over the last two years, but injuries, inconsistent play and his $6.4 million AAV through 2026-27 have kept him in Anaheim.

COULD THE BRUINS SHOP JOONAS KORPISALO?

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports that numerous sources said the agent for Boston Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo told the club’s management that his client would welcome a trade this summer if he doesn’t get more starts next season.

Korpisalo started 27 games this season, with 11 wins, a 2.90 goals-against average, and a save percentage of .893. Agent Markus Lehto was unavailable for comment, and there was no official confirmation that a trade request was made.

“He’s not happy and thinks he’s earned more playing time,” one source told Murphy. “He’s more than open to exploring trade options.”

Teams reportedly checked on Korpisalo’s availability before the March 7 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Korpisalo was traded to the Bruins by the Ottawa Senators last summer in exchange for Linus Ullmark. He has three more seasons remaining on his contract with an AAV of $4 million, of which the Bruins carry $3 million annually and the Senators $1 million.

Korpisalo had starter opportunities with the Senators, Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. However, his inconsistency has made it difficult to remain in those roles. He’s the backup for Jeremy Swayman in Boston and might not get more playing time next season if the latter rebounds from his disappointing performance this season.

HURRICANES HAVING DIFFICULTIES SIGNING ALEXANDER NIKISHIN?

RG.ORG’s Sergey Demidov cited the agent for Carolina Hurricanes prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin had harsh words for the club’s efforts to sign his client to an NHL contract.

Earlier this month, Nikishin was released from his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg, enabling him to sign his entry-level deal with the Hurricanes. His agent, Alexander Chernykh, called the Hurricanes “one of the most complicated teams to deal with regarding management.” He added that his client would return home or request a trade if this issue wasn’t resolved.

Demidov believes Chernykh is trying to justify himself. “It seems he wasn’t able to bring Nikishin to Carolina before the end of the season, as the Canes’ coaches wanted.”

SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman reports Ryan Barnes, Nikishin’s North American agent, said they continue working on his client’s status with the Hurricanes. “Our Russian partners are simply excited to see Alexander play for the Hurricanes and so are we.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2025

by | Apr 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2025

The Canadiens, Devils and Oilers pick up big wins in their first-round series. Check out the recaps plus the latest news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Three unanswered third-period goals by Christian Dvorak, Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook gave the Montreal Canadiens a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Newhook and Cole Caufield finished with a goal and an assist each. Connor McMichael, Jakub Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin replied for the Capitals, who hold a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 is Sunday, Apr. 27, at 6:30 pm ET.

The two teams lost their starting goaltenders to injuries during this contest. Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and made way for Jakub Dobes. Capitals netminder Logan Thompson injured his left knee following a third-period collision with teammate Dylan Strome and was replaced by Charlie Lindgren. There were no post-game updates regarding their conditions.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most complete game I’ve seen the Canadiens play this season. After being dominated in the first two games in Washington, they fed off the energy in the Bell Centre, outshooting the Capitals 40-19, winning 53.7 percent of the faceoffs, going two-for-five on the power play, and outhitting the Caps 45-26.

Winger Josh Anderson didn’t collect any points, but made his presence felt as Montreal’s physical leader, dishing out six hits and battling Washington winger Tom Wilson in a scrap at the end of the second period that spilled into the Capitals bench. Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj made his playoff debut and led all blueliners with four hits.

Canadiens winger Patrik Laine missed this game with an upper-body injury. That might explain his subpar performances in the first two contests.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec scored in double-overtime as his club nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 3 of their first-round series.

The Devils had a 2-0 lead on goals by Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, but the Hurricanes got two unanswered third-period goals by Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho to tie it. Game 4 is Sunday at 3:30 pm ET, with the Hurricanes holding a 2-1 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big win for New Jersey after two lifeless losses to the Hurricanes in Carolina. Nemec set the franchise record as the youngest player (21 years, 69 days) to score a playoff overtime goal.

Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury in early February. However, blueliner Johnathan Kovecevic left the game with an undisclosed injury.

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 in Game 3 of their series. Evander Kane and Evan Bouchard scored the tying and winning goals 10 seconds apart in the third period.

Bouchard and Connor Brown each had two goals and Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the Oilers. Adrian Kempe and Drew Doughty each had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who lead the series two games to one. Game 4 is Sunday in Edmonton at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s tying goal came under automatic review for a kicking motion. It was determined he did kick the puck, but then knocked it into the net with his stick, making it a good goal.

Kings head coach Jim Hiller challenged for goaltender interference but the call went against him, leading to a delay-of-game penalty with Bouchard’s winning goal on the subsequent power play.

HEADLINES

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights need more production from their top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbeshev if they hope to defeat the Minnesota Wild in their first-round series. The trio has yet to register a point in the series, with the Wild leading two games to one.

THE DENVER POST: Gabriel Landeskog has been promoted to the Colorado Avalanche’s second line and their top power-play unit. After being sidelined for the past three seasons by knee surgeries, the 32-year-old winger returned to action in Game 3 of their series with the Dallas Stars. The Stars have a 2-1 series lead over the Avalanche.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel received a one-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for a late hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 of the series between the two clubs on Thursday.

Barkov left that game and remains questionable for Game 3 on Saturday.

NHL.COM: The league also fined the Ottawa Senators $25,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct and Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,083.33 for unsportsmanlike conduct for an incident during warm-ups for Game 3 of their series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cousins’ offense was shooting a puck down the ice at Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: A mistrial was declared by the presiding judge in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case. A new trial will begin once new jurors are selected, which was expected to occur on Friday.

Former NHL players Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote face one charge each of sexual assault for an alleged incident that occurred in 2018 while members of Canada’s World Junior team. McLeod faces an additional charge as a party to the offense.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 25, 2025

by | Apr 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 25, 2025

Check out the latest on the Islanders and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ISLANDERS’ NEW GM MUST ADDRESS SOME BIG QUESTIONS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears looked at the critical questions facing the Islanders after parting ways with now-former general manager Lou Lamoriello earlier this week.

Head coach Patrick Roy and his staff are in limbo until Lamoriello’s replacement is found. His future behind the Islanders’ bench could depend on whether he has a rapport with the new GM.

Lamoriello was working on a contract extension for veteran winger Kyle Palmieri. That is likely on hold until the new general manager is in place. The 34-year-old is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (NHL Images).

Sears also wondered if the new Isles GM will entertain trade offers for veteran forwards Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Both are a year away from UFA eligibility. He also brought up the possibility of contract buyouts for forward Pierre Engvall and defenseman Scott Mayfield.

The new GM must also decide if he sees Noah Dobson as a true No. 1 defenseman. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights starting on July 1. They must also decide if they trust aging Semyon Varlamov as their backup goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are expected to conduct a thorough search for Lamoriello’s replacement. They should have someone in place by the end of May to suitably address these issues, as well as prepare for the draft at the end of June.

Dobson and Palmieri’s free-agent eligibility makes them a priority. There’s no rush to move Lee and Pageau, but it would be worthwhile to have that new GM in place before the draft to at least gauge their value in the trade market.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski reported earlier this week that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas called out defenseman Erik Karlsson over his performance and his comments about his disappointment with the club’s play this season.

“Erik, I think, is and will forever be a polarizing figure. While I don’t know his exact comments, my view would be that we expect him to be one of the people who pulls us from where we’re at and into contention,” Dubas said. “I had a long meeting with Erik on Friday. My push to him would be that his actions have to match his ambitions. That’s in consistency, preparation, and training, like every other player on the team.”

Based on Dubas’ comments, Kingerski believes trade possibilities for Karlsson have “greatly diminished.” He suggested it might not be Karlsson’s choice if he remains with the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson has a full no-movement clause and an expensive contract that runs through 2026-27. Nevertheless, he surfaced frequently in the rumor mill in recent weeks, with some reports suggesting the Penguins might find a suitor for the expensive, inconsistent blueliner if they retained part of his cap hit.

The Penguins carry nearly $10 million of his average annual value while his former club (San Jose Sharks) carries the remaining $1.5 million.

Based on Dubas’ remarks, it sounds like Karlsson will return with the Penguins next season.

Meanwhile, Dave Molinari doesn’t expect the Penguins to part ways with head coach Mike Sullivan. Dubas indicated Sullivan is under contract for next season and intends to return behind the Penguins’ bench.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2025

by | Apr 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2025

Recapping Thursday’s playoff action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich tallied a hat trick and an assist and defenseman Cam Fowler had a goal and four assists to thump the Winnipeg Jets 7-2 in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich (NHL Images)

Center Robert Thomas set up four goals for the Blues while David Gustafsson and Neal Pionk replied for Winnipeg. Jets backup goaltender Eric Comrie replaced starter Connor Hellebuyck after the latter gave up six goals on 25 shots. Game 4 is Sunday, Apr. 27, in St. Louis at 1 pm ET. The Jets lead the series two games to one.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues did a fine job smothering the Jets’ top offensive players with their physical plan. Mark Scheifele had five points in the first two games and Kyle Connor had four, but both were held scoreless in this contest. Winnipeg defenseman Dylan DeMelo was a late scratch due to an illness.

An overtime goal by Simon Benoit gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of their first-round series. Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews also scored for Toronto while Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk replied for the Senators, who find themselves on the brink of elimination down 3-0 in this series. The Leafs can wrap things up in Game 4 on Saturday, Apr. 26 at 7 pm ET in Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight game the Senators suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime defeat. Their lopsided loss in Game 1 aside, they’ve played well against the Leafs, but the latter’s depth and experience have been the difference thus far. Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz has been terrific between the pipes throughout this series.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored two goals for the second straight game to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi each had a goal and an assist, and goalie Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 shots as the Wild took a 2-1 lead in the series. Alex Pietrangelo and Reilly Smith scored for the Golden Knights. Game 4 is Saturday, starting at 4 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are having difficulty containing the Wild’s two leading scorers. Kaprizov is tied for the postseason lead with seven points, while Boldy is right behind him with six points. The Wild probably wouldn’t have struggled down the stretch had “Dollar Bill Kirill” been healthy during that period.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in Game 2 of their series. Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the shutout while Nate Schmidt and Sam Bennett were the goal scorers as the Panthers took a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 is Saturday, starting at 1 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Panthers as team captain Aleksander Barkov left the game in the third period with a possible upper-body injury following a big hit from Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, who received a five-minute major penalty for interference. There was no post-game update on Barkov’s condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen remains day-to-day with a knee injury. He participated in two-on-two drills during practice on Wednesday. Heiskanen’s been sidelined since suffering the injury on Jan. 28.

The Stars hold a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Colorado Avalanche. Game 4 is Saturday, starting at 9:30 pm ET.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Barring a last-minute change of heart, the Oilers will start backup goalie Calvin Pickard on Friday against the Los Angeles Kings, who hold a 2-0 lead in their series. Pickard replaced struggling starter Stuart Skinner after he gave up five goals on 28 shots in Game 2. Skinner also allowed six goals on 30 shots in Game 1.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen underwent surgery on March 26 to repair a right tricep rupture. His recovery is six months, meaning he’ll likely miss training camp in September.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2025

by | Apr 24, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2025

Check out the latest on the Bruins and the Utah Hockey Club in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

BRUINS FOCUSED ON A QUICK TURNAROUND FOR NEXT SEASON

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney intends to use “every mechanism possible” during the offseason to bolster his roster for a quick turnaround from a disappointing 2024-25 season.

That includes being active in this summer’s free-agent and trade markets.

The Bruins GM wants to improve the depth among his top-six wingers. They also need more depth at center, but could stand pat this summer, given how expensive it is to address that issue.

Sweeney expects better performance from underachievers like goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo, defenseman Nikita Zadorov, and center Elias Lindholm. He’s also hoping for healthy seasons from blueliners Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss also cited Sweeney saying he’d look to add scoring wingers this summer. Free-agent options could include Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets.

Goss acknowledged it’s unknown if Marner or Ehlers will be available on July 1, let alone if they’d sign with the Bruins. He believes that leaves the trade market for Sweeney to find that scoring winger, pointing out they have four first-round picks and five second-rounders over the next three drafts to draw up for trade bait.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have $28.8 million in projected cap space with 11 active roster players under contract next season.

Some of that money will go toward re-signing restricted free agents like Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei, John Beecher, Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko. Sweeney has already confirmed contract talks are underway with Geekie, and he’s expected to be in their lineup for next season.

Nevertheless, they should have enough left to make a significant signing or two in the free-agent market.

BOSTON SPORTS JOURNAL: Joe Haggerty wondered if the Bruins will make any surprising moves involving some of their veterans during the offseason.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images)

Haggerty noted that Jeremy Swayman is the Bruins’ only high-salaried player lacking no-trade protection. The no-movement clause in the 26-year-old goaltender’s contract doesn’t kick in until the 2026-27 season.

Swayman’s difficult season contributed to the Bruins missing the playoffs. It has some observers like Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wondering if he could be moved this summer based on his performance this season, his ugly contract negotiations last summer, or some potentially conflicting personalities within the Bruins’ dressing room.

Friedman believes the Bruins should be patient with Swayman and look for a bounce-back performance next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Swayman would be a bold move by the Bruins and there would be no shortage of suitors among clubs seeking a goaltending upgrade. However, it would also leave the Bruins without a reliable starting netminder. There is no suitable replacement in their system or in the trade and free-agent markets.

The Bruins hope to make a quick turnaround from this disappointing season. They need a focused Swayman between the pipes to pull it off.

LATEST UTAH HOCKEY CLUB SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary noted the Utah Hockey Club intends to be aggressive in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets.

They could use their 2025 first-round draft pick as a trade chip to improve the current roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah is among the 16 teams in this year’s upcoming NHL Draft Lottery. They’re currently sitting 14th overall in the draft order but could move up 10 spots if they win the lottery.

Utah already has a well-stocked prospect pipeline and several rising young stars like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther on their roster. They can afford to peddle that first-rounder if it’ll fetch a return that provides immediate help.

They might attempt to make a splash in this summer’s UFA pool.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah has $22.3 million in cap space with 19 active roster players signed for next season, including their core players. They have room for a significant signing if ownership is willing to spend to the cap.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Belle Fraser reports Utah forward Matias Maccelli had a difficult season. After netting 57 points in 2023-24, his production dropped to 18 points in 55 games, becoming a regular healthy scratch during the second half.

Maccelli hopes for a bounce-back performance next season. Fraser indicates the club still has faith in him, but his role in Utah is now unclear. The 24-year-old left winger has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3.425 million, but an offseason trade isn’t off the table.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maccelli could become a trade chip this summer as part of the return for an impact player.