NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2024

by | Nov 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 25, 2024

The latest on the Penguins plus updates on David Jiricek and Kevin Shattenkirk in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe believes the fate of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan rests with general manager Kyle Dubas. He wondered how poorly the club has to play before Dubas fires Sullivan but felt the GM and the team ownership would view that move as a last resort.

Yohe and Harman Dayal recently pondered whether Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson would be a good fit with the Vancouver Canucks, who need to improve their second defense pairing.

Pettersson would be an improvement but that doesn’t mean he’d be a perfect fit or the best bang for the buck. It might be useful to see what’s available the closer the season gets to the March 7 trade deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes it’s time for the Penguins to make a coaching change or a major roster move. He believes something has to be done as the fans are starting to tune out and not show up for the games.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (NHL Images).

Kingerski also cited last week’s report by TSN’s Darren Dreger indicating the Penguins have been heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens. Dreger felt the two clubs could be a fit trade-wise, with perhaps the Canadiens taking on an expiring contract if a sweetener is attached and the Penguins getting a younger player who might not fit into the Canadiens’ long-term plans.

The Penguins have several players on expiring contracts, including Pettersson and forwards Drew O’Connor, Cody Glass, Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Nieto and Jesse Puljujarvi. They could target a young Canadiens defenseman like Justin Barron or Jayden Struble or perhaps struggling forward Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The more the Penguins flounder the more anticipation will grow about a coaching change or a big trade.

Yohe and Kingerski acknowledge that firing Sullivan probably won’t do much to improve the Penguins given their lack of depth. Dubas has already shown a willingness to make trades this season, shipping forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals nearly two weeks ago.

UPDATE ON DAVID JIRICEK

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell is in no hurry to trade David Jiricek. The 20-year-old defenseman was demoted to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland, sparking speculation he could be traded.

A team source told Portzline that no official trade offers were on the table as of the middle of last week. However, that could quickly change. The Jackets would seek a player of comparable value to Jiricek, players who are former first-round draft picks and still on entry-level contracts.

Portzline reports that Jiricek has not requested a trade and hasn’t expressed an unwillingness to play for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell can be patient with this situation, keeping Jiricek in the minors until he improves or a rival club makes a tempting trade offer. This could stretch to the trade deadline before there’s a resolution.

KEVIN SHATTENKIRK COULD FACE RETIREMENT

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk could face retirement after rejecting an offer from a Western Conference team. Brooks believes the offer came from a Western Canadian team like the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shattenkirk could prefer to sign with an Eastern Conference club close to his home in the Hamptons on Long Island. If that’s not possible, it could spell the end of his playing career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2024

by | Nov 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 25, 2024

The Leafs defeat the Utah Hockey Club, reaction to the Blues hiring Jim Montgomery as their new head coach, an update on the injury status of Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored two goals in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club in Sunday’s only NHL game. William Nylander had a goal and an assist and Joseph Woll made 23 saves for the Leafs, who’ve won seven of their last eight contests. Logan Cooley and Jack McBain replied for Utah, who are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs opened a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division. William and Alex Nylander played together for the first time in their NHL careers in this game, becoming the 13th set of brothers to play for the Leafs and the fifth set to play a game together for the franchise.

Despite several regulars sidelined by injuries (including Auston Matthews), Toronto is playing well. The Maple Leafs captain is dealing with an undisclosed injury but hinted he might return as early as Wednesday against the Panthers.

Marner has stepped up for the Leafs in Matthews’ absence. The much-maligned winger has collected two points in seven of his last eight games (6 goals and 8 assists) since Matthews’ last game on Nov. 3.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said he didn’t anticipate making a coaching change until the Boston Bruins fired coach Jim Montgomery last week. Montgomery signed a five-year contract with the Blues on Sunday.

Montgomery replaced Drew Bannister, who became the club’s full-time head coach in May. Bannister had filled the role on an interim basis after Armstrong fired Craig Berube last December.

“This was more of an opportunity to get someone of Jim’s caliber than anything else,” Armstrong said on a video call with reporters. “When I talked to Drew today I told him this was more of a decision based on the availability of someone I think is a top NHL coach, someone that we have experience with, someone I really do believe can coach this team and also coach the team when it reaches its ultimate level of competitiveness.”

Armstrong and Montgomery have worked together before. The Blues GM hired him as an assistant coach in 2020 until 2022 when he joined the Bruins.

STLTODAY.COM: Matthew DeFranks reports Armstrong now feels that coaching isn’t an issue anymore for the Blues. “If there’s an off-ramp of inexperience, that is no longer there,” he said.

DeFranks also observed Montgomery’s new contract is abnormally long for an NHL coach. Armstrong explained it’s because he believes his new bench boss can help this retooling club now and as it grows. He pointed out how Jon Cooper’s longevity with the Tampa Bay Lightning kept that club competitive for years.

Benjamin Hochman noted this move was a bold cutthroat decision by Armstrong. Hochman acknowledged the injuries that sidelined several key players affected the club’s performance this season under Bannister but also noted that other players didn’t step up.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong saw an opportunity for an upgrade behind the bench. It didn’t hurt that he had a positive history with Montgomery, giving the Blues GM the inside track. Montgomery also has longstanding ties with St. Louis and maintains his offseason home there.

Armstrong’s remark about coaching no longer being an issue could also be a shot across the bow to his players. It could be a warning that the next changes could be to the roster if the Blues fail to improve under Montgomery.

SPORTSNET: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov underwent an MRI on Sunday that revealed his lower-body injury was not serious. The team will see how he feels over the next several days.

ROTOBALLER: The Carolina Hurricanes removed Seth Jarvis from injured reserve, making him eligible to join the roster for their game against the Dallas Stars on Monday. Jarvis missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators place forward Zack MacEwen on waivers.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 24, 2024

by | Nov 24, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 24, 2024

Check out the latest on the Blue Jackets, Senators, Maple Leafs and Canucks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

COULD THE BLUE JACKETS MOVE DAVID JIRICEK SOON?

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports a source close to the Columbus Blue Jackets believes David Jiricek will be traded soon. They demoted the 20-year-old defenseman to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland last week.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek (NHL Images).

Biringer indicated that Jiricek is the player popping up the most often in Blue Jackets’ trade discussions. He was sent to Cleveland midway through last season and publicly expressed his displeasure over that decision.

The reason behind Jiricek’s current demotion was to allow him to work on his defensive game and garner more playing time. Biringer points out that it’s also a great opportunity for interested teams to scout the 6’3” right-shot defenseman. His source claims the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators are interested in Jiricek, especially the Oilers as they’re looking for a replacement for the departed Philip Broberg.

Biringer noted the Oilers don’t have much in draft capital to offer the Blue Jackets after trading away their 2025 first-rounder to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Predators, on the other hand, have three first-rounders in 2025 plus a plethora of prospects and young forwards to draw on for trade bait.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes teams are making legitimate offers for Jiricek. The Blue Jackets have to decide what they want to do here. He also doesn’t see a match with the Oilers because the Jackets seek a young player of similar potential in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: When Jiricek was sent down last week, I assumed that Waddell and head coach Dean Evason genuinely wanted him to improve and be part of the Jackets’ defense corps.

That might still be the case if they don’t get suitable offers from other clubs. Nevertheless, the rumblings that Jiricek might be traded are growing.

Waddell isn’t going to give away Jiricek for peanuts. It could take a first-rounder or a top prospect to tempt him.

WILL THE SENATORS SHAKE THINGS UP WITH A TRADE?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the slumping Senators will have to do something to shake things up or risk another lost season. He claims league executives say general manager Steve Staios is making calls to see if he can find any upgrades to his roster.

Garrioch rules out team captain Brady Tkachuk or defenseman Thomas Chabot becoming trade candidates, especially the latter as the Senators would have to retain part of his $8 million average annual value.

One source suggested Josh Norris as a trade candidate. The oft-injured center is off to a good start this season and carries a $7.95 million AAV through 2026-27. An internal option could be using Ridly Greig as a third-line center with Norris as his winger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltending and the blueline remain problem areas for the Senators. The addition of Linus Ullmark was supposed to improve things between the pipes but he’s been having difficulties lately.

Another lost season will bring significant changes to the Senators roster. They can’t keep going as they have. Those changes could start by the March 7 trade deadline. I consider Tkachuk, Chabot, Tim Stutzle, and Jake Sanderson to be their only untouchables.

CENTER OPTIONS FOR THE MAPLE LEAFS

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle recently examined potential trade options for the Toronto Maple Leafs to boost their depth at center.

Two-way options could include Yanni Gourde of the Seattle Kraken, Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins, and Radek Faksa of the St. Louis Blues. Higher-end targets could be Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders and Mikael Granlund of the San Jose Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gourde, Frederic and Nelson won’t be going anywhere if their respective clubs remain in the playoff chase. The rest are on struggling teams that will likely be sellers by the trade deadline.

Mirtle also mused about bringing back a former Leaf like Ryan O’Reilly or Nazem Kadri. Their contracts, however, make such a move unlikely. They also seem to be happy with their current clubs.

LATEST ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston recently suggested the Vancouver Canucks must improve their blueline, particularly their second defense pairing. He believes they need to add another defenseman who can move the puck.

Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins is the main name being mentioned in the trade market and he could help the Canucks. Johnston thinks other players who could be a better fit could become available but it could take a while before that happens.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2024

by | Nov 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2024

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby nets his 600th career goal, Avalanche stars Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each reach the 30-point mark, the Sharks retire Joe Thornton’s number, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**UPDATE**

The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister and replaced him with former Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, signing him to a five-year contract.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his 600th career goal during a 6-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club. Dylan Guenther scored twice and collected an assist while Clayton Keller had three assists for Utah, snapping their three-game losing streak. The Penguins have dropped eight of their last 10 contests (2-5-3).

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby became the 21st player in league history to reach the 600-goal plateau. That goal was the only highlight in an otherwise lopsided loss for the struggling Penguins as they hover near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists in a 7-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. Cale Makar had two assists, Jonathan Drouin scored twice, and Valeri Nichushkin had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who’ve won seven of their last nine games. Florida forward Sam Reinhart scored his 16th goal of the season, tying the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl for the league lead. The Panthers have lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen has 32 points and Makar 30, joining teammate Nathan MacKinnon (35 points) to make the Avalanche the first team with three players reaching 30 points at this stage of the season since the 2005-06 Ottawa Senators.

Speaking of the Oilers and Draisaitl, they thumped the New York Rangers 6-2. Draisaitl tallied his 16th of the season and collected an assist while Connor McDavid scored twice and added an assist. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored both of his club’s goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse scored a goal as he returned to action after missing three games following a violent hit to his head from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves.

The Buffalo Sabres doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2 as Alex Tuch broke a 2-2 tie with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Bowen Byram each collected two points as their club picked up their third straight victory. Fabian Zetterlund and Luke Kunin replied for the Sharks, who are winless in six of their last seven (1-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks retired future Hall-of-Famer Joe Thornton’s No. 19 in a pregame ceremony, joining Patrick Marleau as the only players to be so honored. He’s the franchise leader with 804 assists, second in points with 1,055, and third in games with 1,104.

The most touching moment of the ceremony was when former Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray told the story of how Thornton asked him one day to help him move a homeless mother and her two children into a local apartment, swearing Murray to secrecy. “That’s who the Thorntons are,” said Murray.

The Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 and lost goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov early in overtime to an upper-body injury following a collision with teammate Sean Walker. Sean Monahan got the game-winner in the shootout after Kirill Marchenko tied the game 4-4 late in the third period, giving the Blue Jackets their third straight victory. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas each had two points for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour addressed Kochetkov’s injury during his postgame interview, saying it didn’t look good but would learn more later about the goalie’s condition. The Hurricanes are already short a netminder with Frederik Andersen sidelined until January following knee surgery.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Sean Couturier and Noah Cates scored as the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit, snapping a two-game losing skid. Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon were the goalscorers for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped six of their last eight (2-5-1).

The Calgary Flames nipped the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on a shootout goal by Rasmus Andersson. Calgary had taken a 3-1 lead but the Wild rallied late in the third on goals by Brock Faber and Marco Rossi. The Flames have won four straight and five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Marat Khusnutdinov missed this game with lower-body injuries. Kaprizov will be reevaluated when the Wild return to Minnesota on Sunday.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar picked up two assists as his club held off the Seattle Kraken 2-1, handing the latter their fifth straight road loss. Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings while Brandon Montour replied for the Kraken.

A five-goal second period carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights to hold first place in the Pacific Division with 28 points. Brendan Gallagher had two assists for the Canadiens, who pulled goalie Sam Montembeault after he gave up five goals on 25 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights activated defenseman Nicolas Hague off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined for three weeks with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk scored twice and added an assist as his club beat the Ottawa Senators 4-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss (0-4-1). Kevin Lankinen turned aside 26 shots for the Canucks as they collected their third win in their last seven games. Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson each had two points for the struggling Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was ejected from the game in the first period after receiving a match penalty for cross-checking Senators forward Josh Norris face-first into the boards. Norris briefly left the game to receive treatment for a cut to his face. It was Hughes’ first career major penalty.

The Boston Bruins collected their second straight win under new head coach Joe Sacco with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Brad Marchand snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jeremy Swayman stopped 19 shots for the win. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin picked up his 300th career assist on Raymond’s goal.

Third-period goals by Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz lifted the Dallas Stars over the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2, giving the Stars franchise its 2,000th win. Duchene finished with two points and Jake Oettinger made 27 saves as the Stars have won five of their last six games. Lightning center Anthony Cirelli scored both of his club’s goals.

The New Jersey Devils picked up their fourth win in their last five games by downing the Washington Capitals 3-2. Tomas Tatar had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen turned aside 24 shots for the Devils. Matt Roy and Connor McMichael replied for the Capitals, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those losses coincide with the absence of team captain Alex Ovechkin, who leads the club with 15 goals but is sidelined up to six weeks with a fractured left fibula.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Roman Josi lifted the Nashville Predators past the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Josi scored twice and Marchessault collected two points as the Predators picked up their third win in their last 10 games (3-5-2). Adam Lowry scored for the Jets, who lost defenseman Dylan Samberg with a broken foot after blocking a Stamkos slapshot in the second period.

The New York Islanders snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Brock Nelson had a goal and two assists, Kyle Palmieri tallied twice and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for the win. Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 23, 2024

by | Nov 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 23, 2024

The latest on Marco Rossi, Taylor Hall, and John Gibson plus updates on the Bruins and speculation involving the Canadiens and Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE WILD TRADE MARCO ROSSI?

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Chris Johnston recently published his updated NHL 2024-25 trade board.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link provided to see the full list if you have a subscription. Many of the names like Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, Anaheim Ducks winger Trevor Zegras, and Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen have frequently surfaced in the rumor mill in recent weeks and have been duly noted on this site.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi was on that list. Johnston indicated the Wild aren’t facing pressure to trade the 23-year-old forward, he’s slated to become a restricted free agent next summer. He believes management must decide if they’ll commit long-term “to a diminutive winger with elite offensive instincts and playmaking abilities.” Johnston believes Rossi is a candidate “to be included in a player-for-player swap.”

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited Johnston’s colleague Michael Russo telling the “Worst Seats In The House” podcast that he still believes the Wild will trade Rossi. “I don’t know when. I don’t know if it’s imminent, by the deadline, or next summer,” said Russo. “I just think that they do not feel he’s the player to commit to long-term”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi had 21 goals and 40 points in 82 games as a rookie last season. He has five goals and 15 points in 19 games thus far in his sophomore campaign, putting him on pace to reach 60 points. The Austrian forward has yet to hit his playing prime and should continue to improve.

Rossi will be coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights. The only leverage he’ll have is the threat of an offer sheet from a rival club. Missing training camp or the start of next season won’t do his performance any good through 2025-26.

The Wild will have $19.5 million in cap space for 2025-26 if the cap rises as projected to $92.4 million with 15 active roster players under contract. They’ll have plenty of room to re-sign Rossi to a bridge deal or to match an offer from a rival team. However, they must maintain sufficient long-term cap room to re-sign superstar Kirill Kaprizov, who is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2026 and could cost $14 million annually to re-sign.

Rossi would be a valuable trade chip if he doesn’t fit into the Wild’s long-term plans. It’s a move that likely occurs next summer but a trade for another good young player is possible before the March 7 deadline.

COULD TAYLOR HALL BECOME A TRADE CANDIDATE?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch pointed out Taylor Hall was a healthy scratch from a recent Chicago Blackhawks game. He thinks the struggling 33-year-old winger could become a trade candidate. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Adam Proteau suggested four possible trade destinations for Hall. One is his former club, the Boston Bruins. Others include the New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, and St. Louis Blues. All four are low-scoring clubs in need of an offensive boost.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Proteau noted that Hall carries a $6 million cap hit, suggesting the Blackhawks must retain salary for some of these teams to acquire him. Those clubs listed by Proteau might not be buyers if their fortunes haven’t reversed by then.

Given his UFA status next summer, Hall will be a trade chip this season for the rebuilding Blackhawks. He’s struggled to regain his form following the knee surgery that ended his 2023-24 campaign. It could hurt Hall’s trade value if he doesn’t improve by the deadline.

WOULD JOHN GIBSON ACCEPT A TRADE TO THE OILERS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Caleb Kerney cited The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun recently suggesting the Edmonton Oilers as a dark horse candidate to acquire Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson before the trade deadline.

LeBrun pointed out that Gibson has a modified no-trade clause. However, it’s his understanding that the veteran netminder could consider the Oilers, who came up one win short of winning the Stanley Cup last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The erratic play of goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard could have the Oilers seeking help between the pipes before the trade deadline. However, the cap-strapped club would have to shed some salary and get the Ducks to agree to part of Gibson’s $6.4 million cap hit to make it work.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE BRUINS?

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports some NHL executives and scouts were surprised the Bruins made an internal hire replacing fired head coach Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco. They noted that former NHL coaches Joel Quenneville and Darryl Sutter have better resumes than Sacco.

Murphy also cited one source speculating general manager Don Sweeney could be next on the chopping block if the Bruins fail to improve under Sacco.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa speculated which Bruins players could follow their former coach out the door if the club doesn’t turn things around. Possibilities include Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, and pending UFA Brad Marchand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is the Bruins captain and has been a heart-and-soul player for them throughout his 16 NHL seasons. Nevertheless, they could part ways if the ownership decides to go in a different direction. I still believe they want to keep Marchand but the club’s performance thus far and the decline in his play could make his future in Boston murkier.

IS A TRADE COMING SOON BETWEEN THE CANADIENS AND PENGUINS?

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Pittsburgh Penguins have been heavily scouting the Montreal Canadiens recently. He noted the Penguins have “some interesting pieces” at forward. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have certain needs and there have to be long-term benefits.

“If you don’t see the long-term benefits of a player and Pittsburgh has an interest in that player, maybe you take back an expiring contract,” said Dreger. “The Pittsburgh Penguins have some expiring contracts that aren’t going to hurt you for the rest of the year. Maybe you get a sweetener where it makes some sense.”

Dreger said there’s nothing imminent but noted the Canadiens face a roster crunch when Patrik Laine and Rafael Harvey-Pinard return from injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins forwards on expiring contracts include Anthony Beauvillier, Drew O’Connor, Jesse Puljujarvi and Matt Nieto. The Habs could take one of them if they got a nice draft pick or prospect in return but they could have other options in mind with other clubs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2024

by | Nov 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2024

Recaps of Friday’s games, Blackhawks star Connor Bedard struggles to end his goalless streak, a unique honor for Joe Thornton, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1, securing the second-most wins through 20 games of a season in NHL history (17-3-0). Jets winger Kyle Connor had a “Gordie Howe hat trick,” scoring a goal, collecting an assist, and earning a fighting major following a scrap with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Michael Bunting scored for the struggling Penguins, who’ve dropped seven of their last nine games (2-4-3).

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by rookie forward Jiri Kulich lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Alex Tuch and Owen Power each had two points for the Sabres, who overcame a 2-0 deficit. The Ducks got goals from Drew Helleson and Isac Lundestrom and a 30-save performance from John Gibson as their three-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks sophomore center Connor Bedard is struggling to snap out of an 11-game goalless streak. His last goal was on Oct. 26 against the Dallas Stars. The 19-year-old center collected six assists during that stretch with five coming in two games.

“It’s been a tough stretch, and you just feel like you don’t have it or whatever, and you lose a bit of confidence and it just kind of goes on,” said Bedard, adding he could “name 100 things” when asked the reason behind his goal drought.

Bedard admitted he’s felt frustrated during this stretch. “I just don’t feel like I’m really doing anything. So just keep chipping away at it, I guess, and hopefully find my game again.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard’s comments raised concerns among Blackhawks observers, who called on management and the coaching staff to address their young star’s frustration.

The Blackhawks surrounded Bedard with veteran forwards like Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, and Teuvo Teravainen to take some of the burden off their franchise player as they rebuild around him. However, their production is down this season. Younger forwards Philipp Kurashev and Lukas Reichel are also struggling to score.

Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson has been criticized in recent weeks for his handling of the roster. If things don’t improve soon, management could face pressure to shake things up behind the bench.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The city of San Jose has named Nov. 23 “Joe Thornton Day” ahead of the Sharks’ retiring his No. 19 before their game against the Buffalo Sabres. Thornton will join former teammate Patrick Marleau as the second player to have his number retired by the Sharks.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken captain Jordan Eberle will be sidelined for at least three months following pelvic surgery on Thursday. He was injured during a Nov. 14 game against the Blackhawks.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights signed forward Brett Howden to a five-year, $12.5 million contract extension. The average annual value is $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Howden, 26, earns $1.9 million this season and was slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He might’ve earned more elsewhere via free agency but opted for the long-term security. This benefits the Golden Knights as it’s a marginal raise over his AAV, fitting comfortably within their cap payroll over the next five seasons.

THE SCORE: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies for Sunday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club. He suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Golden Knights following a hit from Zach Whitecloud. Head coach Craig Berube said Knies is improving but offered no timetable for his return.

TORONTO SUN: Speaking of the Leafs, they signed Alex Nylander to a one-year, one-way $775K contract and recalled him from their AHL affiliate. In a corresponding move, they placed Knies on injured reserve. Alex is the younger brother of Leafs star William Nylander.

ROTOWIRE: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York is slated to come off injured reserve and return to the lineup on Saturday against Chicago. He’s been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Oct. 24.