NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

by | Apr 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2025

The Jets clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, the Blue Jackets and Flames remain alive in the playoff race, Nikita Kucherov is this season’s scoring champion and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched the Presidents’ Trophy despite a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. It’s the first time in franchise history the Jets have won this award, sitting atop the overall standings with 114 points.

Corey Perry had a goal and an assist and Connor McDavid collected two assists for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 99 points. They will face the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Jets for winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. They will attempt to become the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to finish first overall and go on to win the Stanley Cup when the 2025 playoffs begin on Saturday.

Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg left this game after being struck on the left knee by a shot from McDavid. Jets coach Scott Arniel later said that he thinks Samberg will be okay. Meanwhile, the Jets are awaiting word on the status of winger Nikolaj Ehlers after suffering a foot injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

The Jets clinched because the Washington Capitals (109 points) lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Adam Fantilli scored two goals while Jet Greaves made 29 saves in his second straight start in as many days for the Jackets (85 points), who kept their playoff hopes alive by sitting three behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 43rd goal of the season and the 896th of his NHL career as his club will finish the season in first place in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets and Canadiens each have two games left. The latter can clinch that final wild card with a win in regulation, overtime or shootout against the Blackhawks on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames avoided elimination with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Yegor Sharangovich tallied twice and Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames (92 points), who sit two behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand. Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who are assured the best odds to win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with the worst record in the league. The lottery is expected to be on May 5 or 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames, Blues and Minnesota Wild play on Tuesday, with the latter two having played 81 games each. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Wild (95 points) need a point against the Anaheim Ducks to clinch a berth. The Blues (94 points) need a regulation win against the Utah Hockey Club to clinch. Calgary must defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and “get help”.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov will win the Art Ross Trophy as his club defeated the Buffalo Sabres 7-4. Kucherov scored two goals and added an assist, Jake Guentzel tallied twice, and Brandon Hagel had three assists for the Lighting, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Rasmus Dahlin picked up two assists for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 119 points, Kucherov will become the scoring champion for the second straight season and the third time since 2018-19. Nathan MacKinnon (116 points) finished second for the second consecutive year as his club’s regular-season schedule ended on Sunday. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (106 points) sits third and Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (104) is fourth.

Speaking of the Lightning, they called up Conor Geekie with Oliver Bjorkstrand listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Owen Power missed this game with a lower-body injury and he’s not expected to play in their remaining two games.

The Colorado Avalanche scored four unanswered third-period goals to double up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who finished the season third in the Central Division with 102 points. Mason McTavish scored his 22nd goal for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche rested several key players during their final two games. Nathan MacKinnon is dealing with a minor undisclosed ailment while Ryan Lindgren, Jonathan Drouin and Josh Manson are nursing injuries. Cale Makar and Ross Colton also didn’t travel with the Avs on their final road trip of the regular season.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored his 399th NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Morgan Rielly collected three assists as the Leafs hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 104 points. Sebastian Aho replied for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 99 points.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Stutzle finished the game with two goals and an assist for the Senators, who hold the first Easter wild card with 94 points. Garnet Hathaway had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned in a 25-save shutout in a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders. The Devils sit third in the Metro Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Paul Cotter has a hearing scheduled on Monday with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check on Isles defenseman Adam Pelech.

The Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Morgan Geekie scored for the fifth straight game while David Pastrnak collected two assists to extend his multi-point streak to five games. Rickard Rakell scored his 35th goal of the season for Pittsburgh.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Calvin de Haan isn’t happy with how the Rangers managed his playing time. Acquired at the trade deadline, he was a healthy scratch for the past 18 games.

When asked how he’s been treated by the Rangers during an optional practice on Sunday, de Haan didn’t mince words. “It’s f**ked,” he replied.

The Rangers informed the media that de Haan would speak with them at the end of the season. He took to social media to explain the situation, saying his brief remark was based in frustration over his lack of playing time. He also said he would’ve preferred a media scrum setting to chat about how his time with the Rangers has gone.

THE PROVINCE: Derek Forbort suffered a fractured orbital bone following a late punch by Minnesota Wild forward Yakov Trenin to the face of the Vancouver Canucks blueliner when he was lying defenseless on the ice following a fight between the two players on Saturday. Trenin will not face supplemental discipline.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom will miss their final three games of this season with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect defenseman Zeev Buium to a three-year entry-level contract. He was selected 12th overall by the Wild in last year’s draft.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 13, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Islanders and Lightning in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have some business to take care of when they head into the offseason by the end of this week.

Head coach Rick Tocchet’s contract is up at the end of this season. The Canucks have a club option for one more year but they seem to have cooled on that, preferring to sign him to an extension. Neither side wants this situation to drag on too long into the offseason.

Friedman believes contract term is the big issue regarding Brock Boeser’s contract talks. Last week, the 28-year-old winger said it seemed unlikely that he’ll sign a contract extension. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Luke Fox doesn’t see the Canucks offering Boeser more than their earlier proposal of a five-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Fox suggested Boeser might fare better on the open market given the rising salary cap and lack of UFA scorers in their twenties. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner is the biggest name, but once he’s gone, players like Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets will be courted.

The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames want to rebuild on the fly. The Anaheim Ducks, Utah Hockey Club, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres are under pressure to improve and they have the cap space this summer to do so. The New York Islanders could shake things up this summer to add more scoring punch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tocchet seems more likely to get an extension than Boeser, but there are still over two months to go before the UFA market opens. A lot can happen between now and then.

The current Canucks management returned to the bargaining table with J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson when it seemed unlikely but neither player was weeks away from UFA eligibility like Boeser. Still, we can’t dismiss that possibility. We should have get a better idea of where things stand near the start of free agency on July 1.

As Fox pointed out, Boeser won’t lack for suitors if he hits the open market this summer. One of those teams he listed will sign him if the Canucks don’t.

ISLANDERS

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders face crucial offseason decisions after missing the playoffs this season.

The biggest is determining the future of head coach Patrick Roy and general manager Lou Lamoriello. Questions surrounded Lamoriello for most of this season but the spotlight shifted to Roy as the Islanders imploded down the stretch. His handling of several players (Pierre Engvall, Samuel Bolduc, Tristan Lennox) prompted speculation of a rift between him and Lamoriello.

Meanwhile, Lamoriello faces criticism for running it back with his aging core once too often. It’s reasonable to ask if he’s the right person to overhaul the roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders fans have been calling for new management but Lamoriello is so entrenched that convincing him to give up the reins won’t be easy.

If Lamoriello gives up the management role he’ll still have considerable influence as president of hockey operations, especially with his son Chris being an assistant GM and a possible candidate to replace him.

LIGHTNING

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina wonders if the Lightning might end up trading top prospect Isaac Howard.

The 21-year-old left wing is the 2025 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top US college player, but he’s indicated he’s returning to Michigan State University next season as contract talks with the Lightning remain stalled.

Howard becomes eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on Aug. 15, 2026.

The Lightning have a tried-and-true development process involving some service with their AHL affiliate. Current Lightning stars Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brayden Point were products of that process.

Encina believes it’s clear to Howard that he sees no direct path to the NHL with the Lightning, who aren’t interested in bringing him in at this stage of the season to burn a year of his entry-level contract. If the Lightning think he’s unsignable, they could use him as a trade chip this summer or next season to bring more immediate help to their roster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s still time for both sides to meet and try to sort this out. Nevertheless, this could end up like it did last summer with Rutger McGroarty and the Winnipeg Jets.

McGroarty wanted to join the Jets right away but they wanted him to get some AHL seasoning first with their farm team. He was concerned about what his future in Winnipeg would look like, resulting in his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins last August.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

by | Apr 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 13, 2025

The Jets clinch top spot in the Western Conference and Central Division, the Golden Knights secure the Pacific Division title, the Rangers, Islanders and Red Wings are eliminated from the playoff race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets clinched first place in the Western Conference and the Central Division with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cole Perfetti tallied the game-winner in the shootout and Josh Morrisey scored twice for the Jets (114 points). Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets hold a five-point lead over the second-place Washington Capitals in the overall standings but they have two games left while the Capitals have three. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left the game in the second period after accidentally colliding with a linesman. There was no postgame update on his status.

This was also the final game for Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon and defenseman Alec Martinez as both players retired after this game. They will not be joining the Blackhawks on their season-ending two-game road trip.

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title for the fourth time in eight years by defeating the Nashville Predators 5-3. Noah Hanifin broke a 3-3 tie with 1:55 remaining in the third period while Brett Howden and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (107 points). Former Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in his first game in Vegas since joining the Predators last summer.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers, eliminating the latter from the playoff race. The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth last week and will face the New Jersey Devils in the opening round. J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

A shootout goal by Bobby Brink lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the New York Islanders 4-3 to eliminate the latter from the postseason chase. Tyson Foerster tallied twice for the Flyers while Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The Montreal Canadiens failed to clinch the final Eastern wild-card berth as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner scored in overtime for the Leafs, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. Jakub Dobes stopped 35 shots for the Canadiens (88 points), who picked up a point to move seven ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, eliminating the latter from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also announced that former general manager Gerry McNamara died on Friday at age 90.

A minor-league goaltender for most of his playing career, McNamara appeared in seven NHL games with the Leafs between 1960-61 and 1969-70. He was a scout for the Leafs in the 1970s and was GM from 1981-82 to 1987-88.

My condolences to McNamara’s family, friends, former teammates and the Leafs organization.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 21 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists and Adam Fantilli scored twice as the Blues Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive. They’re five points behind Montreal but have three games left while the Canadiens have two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets face Washington on Sunday in the second game of their back-to-back. They will be eliminated if they lose that game in any fashion.

The Capitals gave captain Alex Ovechkin the day off on Saturday but he could return to the lineup for Sunday’s contest. Teammate Jakob Chychrun was also absent Saturday as he’s battling an illness while Hunter Shepard gave up seven goals on 26 shots. Charlie Lindgren will be their starter on Sunday.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored in overtime to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno scored in the third period as the Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit. Marcus Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks. With 95 points, the Wild sit one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues in the first Western Conference wild-card spot and five points ahead of the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center Elias Pettersson is done for the season as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury suffered on March 22 against the New York Rangers. Wild forward Yakov Trenin was ejected after hitting Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort with a late punch while the latter was lying on the ice following a fight between the two players.

The St. Louis Blues fell 4-3 to the Seattle Kraken on a shootout goal by Chandler Stephenson. Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist in regulation play for the Blues, who sit one point behind the Wild in the final wild-card spot, four points ahead of the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild and Blues each have one game left in their schedules while the Flames have three games. The latter still has a chance to clinch a wild-card spot if they win all three games while the Blues lose their final game. Speaking of the Blues, defenseman Colton Parayko returned to action in this game after injuring his right knee on March 5 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, they held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4. Kevin Fiala scored two goals while Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 101 points. Colorado center Brock Nelson scored twice, including his 300th NHL regular-season goal. The Avalanche will face the Dallas Stars in the first round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings will meet the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the fourth straight year. They’ll face an Oilers team lacking a key defenseman as Mattias Ekholm will be sidelined for “quite some time” with an undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could join his teammates for their series with the Stars. He’s currently on a conditioning stint with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. On Saturday, Landeskog scored a goal in his second game with the Eagles. His last NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

The Stars, meanwhile, dropped a 5-3 decision to the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists for Utah. Jason Robertson scored his 35th goal of the season and Wyatt Johnston his 32nd for the Stars, who clinched second place in the Central Division.

A shootout goal by Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Rasmus Dahlin and JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 12, 2025

by | Apr 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 12, 2025

With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, here’s the latest on the Rangers and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun recently looked at what could be in store for the New York Rangers if they miss the playoffs.

The club is staying tight-lipped about its offseason plans. However, there is speculation around the league that head coach Peter Laviolette could get fired. He has a year left on his contract, but the body language and performance of the players over the past month suggest a change could be required.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larry Brooks of the New York Post shares that opinion. He believes Laviolette didn’t do enough to keep his players focused and motivated, which could cost him his job.

LeBrun and Brooks don’t solely blame Laviolette for the Rangers’ collapse this season, pointing out that management deserves its fair share. They also believe several core players bear some responsibility. Nevertheless, a coaching change seems more likely than a shakeup in the front office.

NEW YORK POST: Mollie Walker believes distinct changes are necessary as the Rangers bury this lost season. She believes everything about the club’s “epic implosion” must be analyzed and action taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

Some of this falls on management and the coaching staff for doing a poor job navigating through the issues that derailed this season. Nevertheless, there could be roster decisions that otherwise wouldn’t have been made if the season had gone the other way.

Walker believes that means determining if restricted free-agent defenseman K’Andre Miller has a future with the Rangers. They could have a conversation with center Mika Zibanejad about waiving his no-movement clause. It could also mean attempting to move Chris Kreider or Alexis Lafreniere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller, Zibanejad and Kreider frequently surfaced in the rumor mill as general manager Chris Drury attempted to remake his roster in this season’s trade market. Lafreniere didn’t pop up as much in the media trade chatter but his disappointing play could have Drury rethinking his long-term commitment to the 23-year-old winger.

At least one of those players mentioned by Walker probably won’t be in the Rangers starting lineup for next season. Kreider and Miller seem the more likely to be moved.

Kreider has two years left on his contract with a 15-team no-trade list and could still be enticing for clubs seeking an experienced scoring winger. Miller struggled this season but he’s still young and his potential upside will draw interest in the trade market.

Zibanejad reportedly declined to waive his NMC to go to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the return in the J.T. Miller trade in January. He could agree to accept a trade elsewhere this summer but he’ll likely have a short list of destinations. His age (31), cap hit ($8.5 million through 2029-30) and declining production could also hurt his value in the trade market.

Lafreniere would also draw lots of attention if he hit the trade block. However, Drury could keep him in the hope he’d regain his form and meet his full potential on a retooled roster.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears examined the plethora of options facing the Islanders and Noah Dobson during their contract negotiations after this season.

The 25-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He’s completing a three-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million.

He could go for long-term stability or pursue a shorter deal bringing him up to unrestricted free-agent eligibility and the opportunity for a more lucrative contract as the salary cap keeps rising. Meanwhile, the Islanders could try to lock him up long-term as a core piece of their roster or prefer a shorter term after his production dropped this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sears also pointed out that the threat of a possible offer sheet for Dobson hangs over his negotiations. The blueliner hasn’t revealed if he’s willing to entertain that option but it should be kept in mind if his negotiations stall should he forego arbitration.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2025

by | Apr 12, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2025

The Oilers clinch a playoff berth, the Senators widen their lead for the first Eastern wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff berth by doubling up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Connor McDavid collected assists on all four goals and Corey Perry scored the winning goal for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Will Smith and Henry Thrun replied for the Sharks, who dropped their eighth straight game.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Oilers as defenseman Mattias Ekholm and winger Zach Hyman left the game with injuries. Ekholm might not return for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Sharks announced that sidelined defenseman Mario Ferraro suffered a broken ankle during their 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday but he won’t have to undergo surgery.

Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist as the Senators opened a five-point lead over Montreal for the first wild-card berth with 92 points. Christian Dvorak and Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, who hold the final wild-card spot with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal needed a regulation win to clinch their first postseason berth since 2021. They’ll get another opportunity on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler won the Mike Richter Award as this season’s best goaltender in US college hockey.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Marco Kasper tallied two goals (including the winner in overtime) for the Red Wings, who sit six points behind the Canadiens with 81 points. Gage Goncalves scored twice for the Lightning (98 points), who remain two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Luke Glendening missed this game with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for their remaining regular-season games. The Lightning got some good news on Friday as their top prospect Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in US college hockey.

A 4-2 victory by the Calgary Flames (90 points) over the Minnesota Wild moved the former within three points of Minnesota and St. Louis Blues in the race for a Western Conference wild-card berth. Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they have a game in hand over the Wild and Blues, who have two games each remaining in their schedule.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf tied Mike Vernon for the most starts by a Flames rookie goaltender (51). Meanwhile, Wild captain Jared Spurgeon left this game after taking a puck to the throat in the second period and feeling lightheaded afterward. The Wild expect top prospect Zeev Buium to sign his entry-level contract and join their roster soon.

The Pittsburgh Penguins scored four unanswered goals to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist. Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils expect sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton to be available for their upcoming first-round playoff series with the Carolina Hurricanes.

HEADLINES

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback took a big step forward on Friday with a solid performance skating for their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles in a 2-0 win. The 32-year-old winger saw just over 15 minutes of ice time with the Eagles in his first game since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s since been recovering from multiple knee surgeries that threatened to end his playing career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche were said to have “guarded optimism” that Landeskog could return to the lineup for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. His performance with the Eagles suggests that could become a reality.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Tyler Seguin hopes to see some regular-season play before the postseason begins. He underwent hip surgery four months ago and hasn’t played since Dec. 1.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs will face the Canadiens on Saturday with only five defensemen as Oliver Ekman-Larsson is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The Leafs lack the cap space to call up a replacement from their AHL affiliate.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin signed a two-year entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 6’4”, 220-pound Nikishin could be in the Hurricanes lineup for their remaining regular-season games.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 11, 2025

by | Apr 11, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – April 11, 2025

Check out the latest on the Canucks, Leafs, and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Brock Boeser considers it unlikely that he’ll be signing a contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks.

The 28-year-old right winger is UFA-eligible on July 1. There’s been little traction in negotiations between Canucks management and Boeser’s agent.

“It sucks, it’s unfortunate,” said Boeser. “I’m just trying to play good hockey, and then worry about everything after that. We all know it’s been a roller coaster of a year. There’s been a lot of different things.”

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Boeser indicated he’s not talking to his agent about his contract until after the season has ended.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston also weighed in on Boeser’s comments, pointing out that the winger loves Vancouver and prefers to stay.

Johnston suggests one of the “different things” Boeser referred to was management’s lack of endorsement of him during the season, culminating in the post-trade deadline comments by Canucks GM Patrik Allvin regarding the underwhelming offers he supposedly received for the winger.

Boeser’s claim that a new deal seems “unlikely” could leave the door open for a new contract. Johnston wouldn’t be surprised if the Canucks made another push to re-sign him before July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ management had seemingly difficult contract extension talks with J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson before re-signing them. Still, those players weren’t less than three months away from UFA eligibility.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance looked at the Canucks offseason “to-do” list. Among them was what to do with Elias Pettersson.

The 27-year-old center is coming off a disappointing performance in the first season of his eight-year contract with an AAV of $11.6 million. His no-movement clause goes into effect on July 1.

Pettersson was taken off the trade block after J.T. Miller was traded in January. However, Drance indicates there’s plenty of skepticism in the market toward the Canucks center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks know what Pettersson is capable of when he’s on top of his game. They reportedly weren’t happy with his conditioning and preparation for this season.

They could make inquiries to gauge Pettersson’s trade value. However, his poor play and hefty contract will make it tough to move him before his NMC kicks in this summer.

A trade is possible but the Canucks are more likely to retain Pettersson in the hope that he’ll be better-prepared and determined to prove himself next season.

LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons believes Mitch Marner faces a basic choice this offseason: spend the rest of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, or depart as a free agent on July 1 and take his chances elsewhere.

Marner is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 while Knies becomes a restricted free agent. Simmons believes the latter will be re-signed first to avoid the threat of an offer sheet. He also thinks the better Knies plays, the easier for the Leafs to bid farewell to Marner if he intends to go to market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston considers a new contract for Knies to be a priority for the Leafs. However, he doesn’t think there’s much chance the young winger will sign an offer sheet, citing the Leafs’ plentiful cap space and Knies’ disinterest in signing an offer from a rival club.

As for Marner, it could also come down to how the Leafs fare in the playoffs. Another early exit could lead to changes in the front office (no new contract for team president Brendan Shanahan) and on the roster, especially if the 27-year-old winger doesn’t perform well in this postseason. They could decide the $13 or $14 million per season investment in Marner could be better spent elsewhere.

BRUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently looked at what changes might be in store for the Boston Bruins roster this summer.

Shinzawa doesn’t see the Bruins including their draft picks in any trade proposals because of their shallow prospect pool. He believes free agency is the route to restock their roster although he acknowledged it didn’t work out well last summer when they invested in Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Shinzawa also suggested targeting a cap-strapped team with an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have a projected cap space of $26.2 million with 14 active roster players under contract.

They should have enough to sign a notable player or two in the unrestricted free-agent market. If they won’t include draft picks in trade offers, they’re unlikely to go the offer-sheet route as a successful signing costs them draft picks as compensation.