NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

by | Mar 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 27, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Flyers fire head coach John Tortorella, an update on Brad Marchand, Dylan Cozens is thriving since being traded to the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars got a natural hat trick from Jason Robertson as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Roope Hintz collected three assists and Jake Oettinger stopped 41 shots for the Stars, who’ve won their third straight game and sit second in the Central Division with 96 points. Corey Perry and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who lost goaltender Stuart Skinner following a third-period collision with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen. The loss leaves the Oilers in third place in the Pacific Division with 87 points.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Skinner will not be traveling with the Oilers to Seattle after being struck in the head by Rantanen’s knee. His teammates’ tepid response to the incident sparked criticism of the club’s toughness.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood scored twice and picked up an assist in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Thatcher Demko made 26 saves while Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor had two assists each for the Canucks (80 points), who sit three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Casey Cizikas had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (74 points), who remain one point back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Boston Bruins’ fading playoff hopes took another hit with a 6-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Leo Carlsson tallied twice and Jackson LaCombe had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins (69 points), who’ve lost seven straight games and remain six points behind the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov missed this game to return to Boston to deal with a family matter.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored two goals to lead his club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Luke Hughes collected three assists as the Devils ended a three-game losing skid. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped eight of their last nine games.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE** The Philadelphia Flyers relieved John Tortorella of his coaching duties. 

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand is inching closer to his debut with the Panthers. Head coach Paul Maurice said the plan is for the 36-year-old winger to participate in a full team practice on Thursday and be in the lineup for Friday’s game against Utah.

The Panthers acquired Marchand from the Bruins at the March 7 trade deadline. He’s been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 1.

SPORTSNET: Dylan Cozens has been thriving with the Ottawa Senators. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 7, he has three goals and five assists for eight points in nine games. The Senators have gone 6-3-0 during that stretch.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn believes the Sabres’ long playoff drought is testing the limits of their fans’ patience. The club is seeing thousands of empty seats in their arena this season, with some season-ticket holders opting not to renew for 2025-26.

Fairburn points out the Sabres are 30th in attendance by average capacity with 84 percent. They’re 27th in average raw attendance with 16, 070. He believes the constant losing hurts the club’s bottom line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres have been floundering for nearly 15 years under team owner Terry Pegula. Sabres fans are long-suffering but their patience could be nearing the breaking point. Buffalo is a hockey town with a rich history, However, if fan support keeps dwindling, whispers of franchise relocation won’t be far behind.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reported on some details for the Calgary Flames’ new arena. Construction began on the 18,400-seat venue eight months ago and is expected to open midway through 2027.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators CEO Cyril Leeder said the club is expected to remain in its current arena for at least five years. Talks are ongoing between the Senators and Ottawa’s National Capital Commission (NCC) to construct a new arena at LeBreton Flats.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2025

by | Mar 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 26, 2025

The latest on the Penguins goaltending, the Canadiens offseason plans, and the fallout of Jakob Chychrun’s new contract in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PENGUINS FACE OFF-SEASON GOALIE DECISION

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Mark Madden wonders if Tristan Jarry has saved his future with the Penguins.

The 29-year-old goaltender struggled in the first half of the season, leading to his demotion to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. However, he’s rallied since his recall, prompting Madden to suggest Jarry could stick with the club beyond this season if he keeps playing well.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

Jarry’s contract is part of the equation. He’s signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. His recent improvement isn’t likely to increase interest in him. The Penguins would have to retain salary in any swap.

Madden believes the Penguins can’t retain Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. The latter has a year left on this deal with an AAV of $2.5 million. Having both is blocking one of their promising young netminders from moving up

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Madden also mentioned buying out Jarry if need be would be the easy call but his recent play makes that difficult. A buyout would see a cap hit of $1.747 million for 2025-26, rising to $5.047 million in 2026-27, dropping to $4.547 million in 2027-28, and falling to over $797K for each of the final three seasons.

THE LATEST ON THE CANADIENS’ OFFSEASON PLANS

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported another important offseason awaits the Montreal Canadiens. They have salary-cap flexibility and draft capital at their disposal. Adding another top-six forward is the priority.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Specifically, a reliable second-line center.

Hughes acknowledged the situation but clarified a recent comment where he seemed to suggest a willingness to overpay in the trade market rather than doing so in free agency. He said he was contrasting the two options, adding that it was in the context of signing a 32-year-old player to a seven-year contract that isn’t going to age well. He said his team isn’t in a three-year window where they have to win now and would be comfortable carrying that type of contract on the back end.

The Canadiens GM said that his team needs to be smart about this because they expect to have a much larger window of opportunity. He’ll be engaged in talking with other general managers to explore ways of improving his team but doesn’t want to be short-sighted about it.

LeBrun indicated that finding a center in his mid-twenties this summer will be challenging, especially with teams like the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks seeking the same thing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes has a pretty good offseason trade record but this summer will present his biggest challenge. If he can’t find a suitable option in the trade market, he might have to take a calculated risk on a short-term free-agent signing.

THE FALLOUT FROM THE CHYCHRUN SIGNING.

TSN: Chris Johnston believes Jakob Chychrun’s new eight-year, $72-million contract caught a lot of people around the league by surprise. He’ll be the 10th highest-paid defenseman next season. Some teams believe the salary cap will reach $120 million four years from now, which could make Chychrun’s new deal a bargain by that point.

Darren Dreger believes Chychrun might’ve received more on the open market this summer given the season he’s having. However, the 26-year-old blueliner is comfortable with the Capitals and wants to avoid the uncertainty of free agency.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun’s contract will be used as a comparable by Evan Bouchard’s representatives. The Edmonton Oilers defenseman is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The 25-year-old had 82 points last season and is on pace to reach 60 this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2025

by | Mar 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2025

The Jets clinch a playoff berth, Alex Ovechkin moves closer to the all-time goals record, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Sabres coach Lindy Ruff reach notable career milestones, the Capitals re-sign Jakob Chychrun, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets became the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth as they defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on an overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots for the Jets (102 points), who sit one point back of the league-leading Capitals. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 889th regular-season goal, putting him six away from breaking the all-time goal record held by Wayne Gretzky.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals signed defenseman Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year, $72-million contract extension earlier in the day. The average annual value is $9 million and is a considerable raise over his current AAV of 4.6 million.

Chychrun’s been a terrific addition to the Capitals blueline with 18 goals and a career-best 44-point performance (and counting) this season. The 26-year-old’s new contract reflects the cost of signing top-four defensemen with the salary cap projected to rise significantly in the coming years. It will affect comparable blueliners like Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard who are due for new contracts this summer.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists to pass the 100-point milestone in a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Anthony Cirelli tallied twice for the Lightning as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 87 points. Bryan Rust replied for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov is the 21st player in NHL history to reach the 100-point plateau five times. It’s the most for a Russian-born player, with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin doing it four times and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin three times. Meanwhile, Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Head coach Lindy Ruff collected his 600th regular-season win with the Buffalo Sabres as his club nipped the Ottawa Senator 3-2. Tage Thompson tallied the tie-breaker early in the third period for the Sabres. Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored for the Senators, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the second coach in league history to have 600 wins with one franchise. Al Arbour holds the record (740) with the New York Islanders.

This was the first game between Buffalo and Ottawa since Dylan Cozens was shipped to the Senators for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker at the March 7 trade deadline. Bernard-Docker scored against his former club while Cozens picked up an assist. Norris has missed the Sabres’ last five games with an undisclosed injury.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a hat trick to beat the Minnesota Wild 5-1. Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin each had two assists for the Golden Knights, who have won four straight games and hold first place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild, who hold the first Western wild-card spot with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore picked up an assist in his first game since Feb. 8. It was the 500th regular-season game of his career.

The St. Louis Blues got their seventh straight win with a 6-1 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Robert Thomas and Philip Broberg each had a goal and three assists as the Blues (83 points) maintained a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card berth. Nick Suzuki replied for the Canadiens, who cling to the final Eastern wild card (75 points) but are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are red hot and could overtake Minnesota for the first Western wild-card berth.

An overtime goal by Nazem Kadri gave the Calgary Flames a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Kadri finished the night with two goals while Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato each had two assists as the Flames (79 points) remain four points behind the Blues.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala tallied two goals to defeat the New York Rangers 3-1, extending their franchise-best home points streak to 15 games. Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots for the Kings, who’ve won four straight and sit second in the Pacific Division with 89 points. J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers (74 points), who remain one point behind the Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs forwards William Nylander and John Tavares each scored twice to crush the Philadelphia Flyers 7-2. Nylander reached the 40-goal plateau for the third consecutive season as the Leafs moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 89 points. Ryan Poehling and Sean Couturier replied for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Florida Panthers also have 89 points, but the Leafs have the edge with 42 regulation plus overtime wins compared to the Panthers’ 38.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to extend his home points streak to 22 games in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Devon Toews had a goal and two assists to sit third in the Central Division with 91 points. J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist for the faltering Red Wings (72 points), who’ve dropped three of their last four to remain three points out of the final Eastern wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Petr Mrazek and Cam Talbot sidelined, the Wings recalled goalie Sebastian Cossa on an emergency basis to back up starter Alex Lyon.

The Nashville Predators upset the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1. Luke Evangelista scored twice and Juuse Saros turned aside 34 shots for the Predators. Taylor Hall scored for the Hurricanes, who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty reported Monday that the Predators won’t release any information on sidelined Predators captain Roman Josi until after the season ends. “There is zero chance he plays any games the rest of this season.”

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery is expected to be held on May 5 or 6, depending on the playoff schedule.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson will miss the remainder of the regular season with an injured wrist.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2025

by | Mar 25, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2025

What position is a priority offseason for the Flyers? What players should the Senators pursue this summer via free agency? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reports Flyers head coach John Tortorella isn’t sugarcoating his club’s goaltending situation. He said the departure of Carter Hart last season left the position in turmoil and must be fixed.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella (NHL.com).

Tortorella acknowledged the Flyers’ inexperience between the pipes. They are using Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov this season, with Ersson tasked as a starter for the first time in his young NHL career. They have a league-low .873 save percentage this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz believes Fedotov’s future with the Flyers is in doubt despite being signed through next season with an annual cap hit of $3.275 million. In 24 games, Fedotov had a 5-13-3 record with a save percentage of .877 and a goals-against average of 3.20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers will be hard-pressed to find a suitable solution in the offseason.

The pickings are slim for goaltenders in this summer’s free-agent market. The notables include New Jersey’s Jake Allen, Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, Florida’s Vitek Vanecek, Calgary’s Dan Vladar and Los Angeles’ David Rittich.

Anaheim’s John Gibson was the notable goaltender in this season’s trade rumors. However, he has a 10-team no-trade list which could put the Flyers out of the running.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie believes the Ottawa Senators’ biggest offseason need is finding a top-scoring right wing.

Given the Senators’ cap situation, he considers Toronto’s Mitch Marner too expensive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: But what a delicious heel turn that would be. It would take The Battle of Ontario to heights not seen in two decades.

McKenzie believes Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers and Dallas’ Mikael Granlund would be better options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Go with the 29-year-old Ehlers if you want decent long-term value. Granlund has played well the past two years but the 33-year-old is getting uncomfortably close to his “best before” date.

McKenzie doesn’t see the Senators (or anyone else) successfully signing away Toronto’s Matthew Knies with an offer sheet. He pointed to the Leafs $27 million in cap space this summer, especially if Marner signs elsewhere on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It won’t happen but Knies signing with the Senators would be another fun heel turn. McKenzie cites AFP Analytics projecting a cap hit for Knies’ next contract as high as $6.625 million annually. The Leafs can afford that.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2025

by | Mar 25, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2025

The Blue Jackets, Red Wings and Canucks collect crucial points in the wild-card races, the three stars of the week are revealed, a roundup of injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the New York Islanders 4-3 on a shootout goal by Adam Fantilli. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 30 shots, Fantilli, Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko scored in regulation and Sean Monahan had two assists in his first game since being sidelined with a wrist injury on Jan. 7. Pierre Engvall, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (NHL Images).

The win snapped a six-game losing skid for the Blue Jackets (73 points), leaving them two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. The Islanders are one point behind the Canadiens with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Palmieri scored what would’ve been the game-winner with 9 seconds left in regulation. However, the goal was overturned on a controversial goaltender interference call that left the Isles fuming following the game.

Shootout goals by Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimaki gave the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Conor Garland scored with 36 seconds remaining in the third period to tie the game, Pius Suter had a goal and an assist, and Thatcher Demko made 22 saves after missing a month with a lower-body injury.

Timo Meier scored twice for the Devils, who’ve dropped four of their last five (1-3-1) and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points. The Canucks have 78 points, putting them three behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks played without forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander, who returned to Vancouver for evaluation after being injured in Saturday’s loss to the New York Rangers. They will miss the remainder of the Canucks’ six-game road trip.

The Detroit Red Wings managed only 14 shots against the Utah Hockey Club but scored five unanswered goals for a 5-1 victory. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist while Alex Lyon got the win in relief of Petr Mrazek, who left following a collision with Utah forward Dylan Guenther 90 seconds into the game. Guenther scored for Utah (75 points), who are six points behind the Blues in the Western wild-card race. The Red Wings (72 points) are three points behind the Canadiens in the Eastern race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry logged almost 17 minutes of ice time in his return to action after missing 31 games with an undisclosed injury.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made 32 saves to shut out the Minnesota Wild 3-0. Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment were the goal scorers as the Stars sit second in the Central Division with 94 points. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the Wild, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Mikko Rantanen briefly left this game after being struck in the face by the puck. He returned sporting protective face gear and finished the game. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

The Wild should keep an eye on the Blues, who sit four points behind them in the second wild-card spot after winning six straight games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, and St. Louis Blues winger Dylan Holloway are the league’s three stars for the week ending March 23.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will remain sidelined for the rest of this week. McDavid suffered a lower-body injury on March 20 while Draisaitl sustained an undisclosed injury on March 18.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is listed as week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl will be sidelined for at least a week as he undergoes evaluation of his injured right wrist. He suffered the injury during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, defenseman Shea Theodore is traveling with the team and could return to action later this week. Theodore was injured during last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. He suffered a cut in the “wrist/hand area” during Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers that required stitches. Chychrun finished the game but didn’t participate in Monday’s practice.

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche defensemen Samuel Girard (undisclosed) and Erik Johnston (lower body) are listed as day-to-day.

Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. So is San Jose Sharks rearguard Vincent Desharnais.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle has joined his teammates on their four-game road trip. He missed the last 19 games with a lacerated quadriceps muscle but has been skating on his own for more than two weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No timeline yet for Guhle’s return but the fact he’s traveling with the team suggests he could play at some point later this week.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues forward Zack Bolduc was fined over $2,200.00 by the department of player safety for cross-checking Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg on Sunday.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Predators have extended their partnership with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals through 2028-29.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 24, 2025

by | Mar 24, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – March 24, 2025

A look at possible offseason moves for the Blackhawks and Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WILL THE BLACKHAWKS RE-SIGN DONATO & BUY OUT BERTUZZI AND BRODIE?

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus recently reported there’s a good chance the Chicago Blackhawks will re-sign Ryan Donato. The 28-year-old two-way forward is enjoying a career-best performance with 25 goals and 53 points in 69 games.

Scott Powers subsequently reported that Donato’s had an offer on the table from the Blackhawks since the March 7 trade deadline. It’s believed to be a three-year extension worth an average annual value of $4 million. However, it doesn’t sound like contract discussions are ongoing but that could change between now and the start of free agency on July 1.

The Blackhawks want to keep Donato but don’t want to be tied to any veteran for too long. For his part, Donato is seeking stability.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Donato is finishing a two-year contract with an AAV of $2 million. His performance this season could draw plenty of interest in the free-agent market, though his value will be tempered by the fact that he’s never before had the kind of production he’s enjoying this season.

The Blackhawks’ offer doubles his salary and would allow him to go into free agency in three years when he would still have value on the open market, especially if he continues playing well.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi (NHL Images).

Lazerus also speculated about buying out winger Tyler Bertuzzi and defenseman T.J. Brodie. Both players have been disappointments this season for the Blackhawks. Bertuzzi has three years left on his contract ($5.5 million AAV) while Brodie carries an annual cap hit of $3.75 million.

Bertuzzi’s buyout would count as $3.7 million against the Blackhawks cap for 2025-26, $2.9 million for 2026-27, and $2.5 million for 2027-28, dropping to $1.22 million annually for each of the remaining three seasons. Brodie’s cap hit would be $3.2 million next season, dropping to $258K in 2026-27.

With the salary cap expected to rise significantly, the Blackhawks could afford to absorb those buyout costs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks have a projected cap space of $31.9 million for 2025-26 with 19 roster players under contract. They don’t have to worry about buying out players if they spend to the cap. They’ll have more than enough to re-sign a key player like Donato and have enough room to add to their roster in the offseason.

Nevertheless, buyouts are a possibility. Brodie seems the most likely candidate. Lazerus noted he’s been a frequent healthy scratch this season. He’s been benched for their last dozen games.

They can afford to hang onto Bertuzzi for at least another season. He’s got 19 goals and 40 points in 71 games with the Blackhawks.

WHAT COULD THE RED WINGS DO IN THE OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman looked at what the Detroit Red Wings’ recent losing skid says about their offseason needs.

The Red Wings could use a difference-maker among their top-six scorers. Some could be available in this summer’s free-agent market. They include Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers, Vancouver’s Brock Boeser and Florida’s Brad Marchand. They could also go shopping for one via the trade market.

Bultman also believes the Wings need stability in goal and depth on defense. Possible UFA options include Washington’s Jakob Chychrun and Los Angeles’ Vladislav Gavrikov. He also suggested restricted free agents like Vegas’ Nicolas Hague and the New York Rangers’ K’Andre Miller.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are poised to extend their postseason drought to nine seasons, with the last six under general manager Steve Yzerman. He could start feeling the pressure to make moves to improve the roster.

This summer could be the most crucial of Yzerman’s tenure as GM. The Wings have a projected cap space of $21 million next season with 18 roster players under contract. He can draw on his prospect pool and draft picks as trade bait.