NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2024

by | Nov 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 5, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, there’s speculation over Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract, the Blue Jackets could be worth monitoring in the trade market, and there’s interest in two Kraken forwards.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman said he felt that Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract could place him among the league’s highest-paid players.

Friedman speculated that Kaprizov could be paid “in the Matthews/Draisaitl range”. He added that he felt the Wild star “is going to be one of the top-paid players in the league.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov, 27, is in the fourth year of his five-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.

The Wild can attempt to sign Kaprizov to a contract extension next July. On Oct. 2, Wild owner Craig Leipold stated his club intends to re-sign him. “I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer (years), so all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews earns an AAV of $13.25 million. Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl will start making $14 million annually next July when his new eight-year contract extension goes into effect.

The Wild can afford to pay Kaprizov that much on an eight-year contract. He’s their franchise player and the foundation of their efforts to build a Stanley Cup contender.

As Leipold pointed out their intent to win could be the deciding factor. If the Wild show no sign of becoming a contender by 2026, Kaprizov could take his talent elsewhere even if the Wild could pay him more for longer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli believes the Columbus Blue Jackets are a club worth watching in this season’s trade market.

Seravalli claims Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has informed teams that he’s willing to take on contracts that might be viewed as undesirable in exchange for assets. They have plenty of cap space to do so this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli also said Waddell has received offers of players with three to five years remaining on their contracts. However, the Blue Jackets GM isn’t interested in taking on those type of deals. He’s probably more keen on those with one or two years remaining.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio cited Seravalli reporting the Seattle Kraken has received calls about forward Brandon Tanev and Yanni Gourde.

Seravalli said the Kraken has too many forwards and must move someone if everyone stays healthy. Tanev and Gourde are checking-line forwards but don’t contribute much offense, something the Kraken needs as their offensive stats are slipping.

Gourde’s ability to play center or wing makes the Kraken reluctant to move him while Tanev could be a different story.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gourde’s versatility and Stanley Cup experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning would make him more enticing for clubs seeking checking-line depth. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if the Kraken are willing to move either forward at this point.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2024

by | Nov 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2024

Shutout victories for the Devils and Kings, the three stars of the week are announced, and the latest on Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak, Connor Hellebuyck, Macklin Celebrini and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen made 31 saves to shut out the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. Stefan Noesen, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier were the goal scorers as the Devils have won three of their last four games. Bratt also collected an assist to finish the night with two points.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers got some good news earlier in the day when captain Connor McDavid took part in an optional skate. McDavid was expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered last Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he indicated he might be ready to return to action this Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks.

Allen is closing in on a personal milestone. He needs two more victories to reach the 200-win plateau.

The Los Angeles Kings got a goal and an assist from Adrian Kempe and 16 saves from Darcy Kuemper to blank the Nashville Predators 3-0, handing the latter their third defeat in their last four games. Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala also scored for the Kings.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 3.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger David Pastrnak downplayed his third-period benching during his club’s 2-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. “I’ve got to be better, and I take full responsibility,” he told reporters on Monday. “I’m just moving on. Yesterday was yesterday, and I never looked back. I just came in today and worked on my game.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak leads the Bruins in scoring with six goals and 11 points in 13 games but was held scoreless in five games and has been inconsistent in other areas of his play.

Speaking of the Bruins, they signed Tyler Johnson to a one-year, $775K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 34-year-old forward joined the Bruins in training camp on a professional tryout offer but had to wait a month until the club accrued sufficient cap space to sign him. He spent the interim participating in practices with the Bruins.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is getting weary in his efforts to get more clarity from the league regarding goalie interference rules. “If it’s not going to get anywhere, I might have to move on to the next guy, pass it on. I’ve tried to help, I’ve tried to make it more black and white.”

Hellebuyck’s comments come after the Jets’ 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Lightning forward Conor Geekie shoved Hellebuyck’s pad out of the way, allowing teammate Brandon Hagel to score. The Jets raised a coach’s challenge claiming goalie interference but the call on the ice stood.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebucyk is understandably tired of banging his head against this brick wall. The maddening inconsistency regarding what constitutes goalie interference is part of the ongoing decline of NHL officiating.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini is expected to return to action on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 18-year-old center has been sidelined since opening night after re-aggravating a hip injury he’d been nursing since training camp.

Speaking of the Sharks, forward Ty Dellandrea is also expected to be good to go for Tuesday’s game against Columbus. He’s been sidelined by an injured hand since late October.

NHL.COM: Valeri Nichuskin has been cleared to return to practice with the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old winger will return to action on Nov. 15 against the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nichushkin is completing a six-month suspension as part of Phase 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reports Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (knee injury) is “in the last stages of hurdles that need to be cleared before he can return to practice. There’s still no timetable for his return but Dhaliwal indicates he made “very good progress.”

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Philip Broberg will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury (right leg).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Broberg was on a tear to start the season with nine points in 12 games, sitting second among Blues scorers.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: The Penguins face a decision regarding their goaltending with Tristan Jarry’s two-week AHL conditioning stint ending on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry is expected to return to the Penguins with Alex Nedeljkovic as his backup. Promising netminder Joel Blomqvist is waiver-exempt and will likely be returned to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers swapped minor-leaguers on Monday with defenseman Ronnie Attard heading to Edmonton in exchange for blueliner Ben Gleason.

 










NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2024

by | Nov 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2024

What are some possible trade targets for the Islanders, Avalanche and Sabres? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner noted the New York Islanders need a left-shot defenseman with Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly injured. Pelech is out for four to six weeks while Reilly is listed as day-to-day.

With wingers Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair on long-term injury reserve, the Islanders have $9.15 million in cap space.

Rosner suggested Detroit Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson as a trade option. He was a healthy scratch in four of the Wings’ 11 games and carries a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million.

Another could be Erik Brannstrom of the Vancouver Canucks, who’s on a one-year, $900K contract. Rosner also suggested Brendan Smith of the Dallas Stars (one year, $1 million), who has only appeared in five of his club’s 11 games this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple also weighed in on possible blueline trade targets for the Islanders.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (NHL Images).

He points out that Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has limited options. He can’t afford to make a shake-up trade unless he moves out some salary. That’s because Duclair comes off LTIR in two-to-three weeks and Barzal will return before the end of 2024.

Staple suggested Jon Merrill or Declan Chisholm of the Minnesota Wild and Scott Perunovich of the St. Louis Blues as trade options. He also included Gustafsson in his list. Cam Fowler of the Anaheim Ducks could be available but the Isles would have to dump one of their top-four defensemen to afford his $6.5 million cap hit through next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler also has a four-team trade list. He’s reportedly willing to expand it but the Isles might not be among his preferred destinations.

Most of these suggested options are inexpensive short-term fixes that won’t significantly improve the Isles blueline. They would be the more likely options for Lamoriello given his salary-cap limitations.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau listed three potential trade targets for the slumping Colorado Avalanche to boost their injury-battered roster.

Proteau wondered if they could make a play for Islanders center Brock Nelson. Given his UFA eligibility next summer, the 33-year-old center has a cap hit of $6 million but he’d be a pure rental player. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson might become available by the March 7 trade deadline depending on where the Isles are in the standings. That could be too long a wait for Avs management.

More affordable options include Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson (one year, $875K) and Utah Hockey Club forward Michael Carcone ($775K).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche could be willing to wait until some of their sidelined players return to action. Artturi Lehkonen came off injured reserve yesterday and Valeri Nichushkin is expected to return from his six-month suspension later this month.

However, if they must make a trade, Robertson and Carcone are more likely to be available now than a core player like Nelson. They’ve been in and out of the lineup this season, carry low-cost contracts, and shouldn’t cost more than a third-round pick to acquire. The Avs have two fourth-rounders in the 2025 draft and two fifth-rounders in 2026 to use as trade chips.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Jason Moser cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting last Wednesday that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has been active in the trade market.

Moser believes Adams could be in the market for a top-six forward. He indicated the Sabres can afford to work out a deal for a bigger salary, carrying over $7 million in cap space.

Moser listed several pending UFA forwards on struggling teams this season. They include Frank Vatrano and Robby Fabbri of the Anaheim Ducks, Mikael Granlund of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings, Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri of the New York Islanders, Gustav Nyquist of the Nashville Predators, and Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depending on their clubs’ performances in the coming weeks, some of these forwards could appear in the trade market once the calendar flips to 2025 and the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

At this stage of the season, it’s unlikely any of them are available. Adams might have to overpay to land one now.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

by | Nov 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a record-setting game, the Hurricanes extend their win streak, Alex Ovechkin continues his march toward the all-time goal record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in league history as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4. Ehlers had a goal and an assist to pass Frans Nielsen with 474 career regular-season points. Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov also had a goal and an assist each for the league-leading Jets (11-1-0, 22 points). Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Kyle Connor picked up an assist to extend his franchise-record season-opening points streak to 12 games.

The Lightning also lost center Brayden Point as he left the game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Dmitry Orlov in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, which extended their win streak to six games. Alex Ovechkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games and Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves as the Capitals’ win streak ended at three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has seven goals in 11 games and 860 for his career. He needs 35 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 35 shots and Artemi Panarin tallied twice to defeat the New York Islanders 5-2. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers (8-2-1) took over first place from the Capitals in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves in a losing cause as his club has dropped five of its last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders iced an injury-ravaged lineup with Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov and Mike Reilly sidelined. Meanwhile, there’s growing speculation the Isles are in the trade market for a defenseman. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

The Boston Bruins picked up their second straight shutout by blanking the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the win while Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle scored the game’s only goals. Joey Daccord turned aside 31 shots for the Kraken as they lost their third straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eyebrows were raised when Bruins winger David Pastrnak was benched for the third period. Head coach Jim Montgomery refused to explain why he parked his leading scorer in the final frame.

The Bruins honored former NESN broadcaster Jack Edwards in a pregame ceremony. Edwards was the play-by-play man for Bruins games on NESN from 2005 until his retirement at the end of last season.

The Edmonton Oilers won the latest game in the Battle of Alberta with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Zach Hyman snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Oilers won their second straight game. Anthony Mantha and Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Oilers captain Connor McDavid sidelined by an ankle injury, Draisaitl has stepped up to fill the leadership void. He has three goals and six points in his last two games.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan Hartman also scored and Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as the Wild picked up their third straight victory and seventh in the last eight games. William Nylander scored and Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves for the Leafs as they’ve gone 3-4-2 in their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov was held off the score sheet, ending his points streak at seven games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard collected three assists to lead his team over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 37 shots and Taylor Hall had two helpers for the Blackhawks. Brock McGinn and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks, who’ve lost five of their last seven.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers aren’t suffering a Stanley Cup hangover as they’re off to one of the best starts in franchise history. With a 9-3-1 record, they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

THE SCORE: The injury-ravaged Colorado Avalanche are getting a much-needed reinforcement to their forward lines as they activated Artturi Lehkonen off injured reserve on Sunday. He’d been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils winger Nathan Bastian will miss several weeks with a jaw injury during a fight with Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg during their game on Friday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to only miss a week after suffering a lower-body injury during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Bruins.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Adam Gaudette is making the most of his second chance in the NHL. After spending the last two seasons in the AHL, the 28-year-old forward is tied for second with Tim Stutzle among Senators scorers with six goals in 11 games.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 3, 2024

by | Nov 3, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 3, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Islanders and Maple Leafs in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently looked at what New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury could do to free up salary-cap space for next season.

Goaltender Igor Shesterkin still needs a new contract. So does defenseman K’Andre Miller, Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle. He’ll also have to decide about pending unrestricted free agents Ryan Lindgren, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Quick.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

Staple believes all arrows point to Jacob Trouba getting moved in an offseason trade. He’ll have a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8 million. Drury could move the 30-year-old defenseman without having to retain salary or include major assets to get a deal done.

Drury doesn’t have many cost-cutting trade options outside of Trouba. Center Mika Zibanejad’s hefty contract is almost untradeable and they’d only get $700K in savings next season if he were bought out. Chris Kreider would draw interest but moving him and Trouba could be too much for the Rangers.

Staple also suggested a wild-card move like trading the 24-year-old Miller. He’d fetch a significant return and his absence could be offset by the maturing Braden Schneider and the promising Vincent Mancini.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury’s ill-fated attempt to trade Trouba in late June signaled this season will be the blueliner’s last with the Rangers. He’s now got a 15-team no-trade list which gives Drury some flexibility and potential trade partners.

Trading away Miller would be a risky move despite the promising return. Drury must ensure that Schneider and Mancini have matured enough to replace Trouba and Miller.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New York Islanders are believed to be seeking help for their injury-battered defense corps. Bluelines Adam Pelech, Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov are sidelined with Pelech (upper body) out for four-to-six weeks. All three are left-hand shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reilly and Romanov are day-to-day and are expected to return to action soon. Nevertheless, Pelech’s lengthy absence could be difficult to address from within. They’ve called up Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from their AHL affiliate.

They could also be in the market for a scoring forward. Their offense was among the league’s lowest before Mathew Barzal was sidelined for four to six weeks by an upper-body injury. They’ve placed him on long-term injury reserve to give themselves some cap relief to accommodate adding Hutton and Bolduc.

Friedman reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have two players (Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar) on conditioning stints with their AHL affiliate. They have about a week to address their impending roster crunch when everyone is healthy to return.

The Leafs acquired defenseman Matt Benning when they shipped Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks last week. They’ve let teams know they want to do right by Benning and made him available in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cost of moving Liljegren and his $3 million average annual value through next season was taking on Benning’s $1.25 million AAV. He’s an affordable veteran right-shot blueliner and should draw some interest around the league.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

by | Nov 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

The Panthers sweep the Stars in the 2024 Global Series, more multipoint performances for Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar keep their point streaks alive, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart lifted the Florida Panthers over the Dallas Stars 4-2 to sweep their two-game NHL 2024 Global Series in Tampere, Finland. Reinhart finished with two points and Spencer Knight made 23 saves as the Panthers picked up their fifth straight win. Evgenii Dadonov and Matt Duchene replied for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and two assists in a 7-2 thrashing of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dylan Strome also had a goal and two assists while Connor McMichael tallied twice for the Capitals, who moved into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 16 points (8-2-0). Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin now has 859 career regular-season goals and needs 36 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals announced before this game that defenseman Jakob Chychrun (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals for the second straight game to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Alex Nedeljkovic got the win with 25 saves. Christian Dvorak scored the only goal for the Canadiens, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby needs three more goals to reach the 600-goal plateau. Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky left the game late in the third period after being elbowed in the head by Penguins forward Noel Acciari. There was no immediate update regarding Slafkovsky’s injury.

The Canadiens’ charter flight home was grounded when a tanker truck collided with the wing of the aircraft as it sat on the tarmac. The accident took place during the game and no injuries were reported.

The Nashville Predators got a goal and an assist each from Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist as they downed the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar also each had a goal and an assist, extending their season-opening point streaks to 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have lost three straight despite the efforts of MacKinnon and Makar. Goaltending remains their Achilles’ heel, giving up a league-leading 4.25 goals-against per game.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Binnington kicked out 35 shots for the Blues. Mitch Marner and Steven Lorentz scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the first for Leafs coach Craig Berube against his former club in St. Louis. The Blues honored him with a video tribute while the fans gave him a standing ovation. Blues defenseman Philip Broberg left the game in the second period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Marner. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 20 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Matthew Poitras, Justin Brazeau and Brad Marchand scored for the Bruins. Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. The club didn’t provide a postgame update.

The Ottawa Senators got a 22-save shutout performance from Anton Forsberg in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Adam Gaudette, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle tallied for the Senators. Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer turned aside 20 shots.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored both of his club’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, snapping a three-game losing skid. Red Wings netminder Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots. Alex Tuch scored for the Sabres as they’ve dropped three straight.

A shootout goal by Ryan Donato lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored the tying goal that sent the game into overtime and the shootout rounds while Hawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 37 saves in regulation and OT. Alex Laferriere scored twice for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laferriere is on track for a breakout sophomore campaign. After netting 12 goals and 23 points in 81 games last season, he has eight goals and 11 points in 12 games thus far.

The Vegas Golden Knights nipped the Utah Hockey Club 4-3 on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. Noah Hanifin had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights. Utah’s Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights called up Akira Schmid to back up starter Adin Hill for this game.

Vancouver Canucks forward Pius Suter scored twice, including the game-winner with 26 seconds left in the third period, to give his team a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Jake DeBrusk scored his first of the season for the Canucks. Nico Sturm and Mikael Granlund replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks placed forward Nils Aman on waivers Saturday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Islanders got bad news on Saturday as they learned forward Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech will be sidelined for four to six weeks with upper-body injuries. Barzal was placed on long-term injury reserve while Pelech was placed on IR.

The Islanders also announced defensemen Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov are day-to-day with upper-body injuries. They called up blueliners Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey will make his season debut after recovering from a suspected shoulder injury suffered during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 24. The Rangers have returned forward Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford.