NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2024

by | May 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2024

A look at potential coaching candidates for the Leafs, possible coaching destinations for Sheldon Keefe and the latest on the Capitals in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COACHING CANDIDATES FOR THE LEAFS

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan looked at potential coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs after they fired bench boss Sheldon Keefe on Thursday.

Former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube topped Koshan’s list, followed by former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan, former New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant, and former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour and Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan also made the list, along with former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau and Leafs assistant coach Guy Boucher.

TORONTO STAR: Brind’Amour is Kevin McGran’s top choice, followed by Berube, Gallant, former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason, former Seattle Kraken coach Dave Hakstol, and McLellan.

Former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube is the betting favorite for the role. He was reportedly “intrigued” in the Ottawa Senators job but was weighing his options, prompting the Senators to hire Travis Green instead.

Berube, McLellan, Woodcroft, Evason and Hakstol were fired during or following this season in an unusually high turnover for coaches in recent months.

Brind’Amour’s name is out there due to recent rumors of difficulties in his contract extension talks with the Hurricanes. Both sides downplayed the speculation, claiming there’s close to a new deal. However, it’ll be interesting to see what happens if the Hurricanes end up swept from the second round by the Rangers.

There’s speculation suggesting Sullivan will quit the Penguins to join the New Jersey Devils because their general manager, Tom Fitzgerald, is an old friend. Pens GM Kyle Dubas recently issued a statement claiming the Devils haven’t sought permission to speak with Sullivan.

Berube is the front-runner to become the Maple Leafs’ new coach, but that could change if Brind’Amour becomes available.

POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR SHELDON KEEFE

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie looked at some landing spots for Sheldon Keefe following his dismissal as head coach of the Maple Leafs.

The New Jersey Devils are McKenzie’s top destination for Keefe, followed by the Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, the Kraken and the San Jose Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keefe is under contract with the Leafs for two more years. Any club interested in hiring him must seek permission to do so. That will be our tip-off as to which teams are interested in Keefe.

The Devils are reportedly interested in interviewing Keefe for their vacant head coaching position. They’re also believed to have spoken to Berube.

Keefe is linked to the Penguins because Dubas hired him during his tenure as Leafs GM. It’s part of the “Sullivan-to-New Jersey” theory making the rounds. The Devils’ interest in Keefe would drive a stake through that rumor.

LATEST ON THE CAPITALS

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports Washington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan isn’t commenting much on the future of Darcy Kuemper. The 34-year-old netminder struggled this season, losing his starter’s job to Charlie Lindgren.

MacLellan still believes Kuemper is a good goaltender and acknowledged his difficulties this season. The Capitals GM rejected the idea of buying out the remaining three years of Kuemper’s contract.

Despite recent trade rumors about Kuemper, MacLellan anticipates he’ll bounce back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacLellan will listen if a team calls about Kuemper. However, that seems unlikely given his performance this season and his $5.25 million cap hit

Silber also reported that MacLellan intends to investigate this summer’s trade and free-agent markets in search of more scoring punch for the Capitals. He’s hoping to find a young top-six forward to take some of the pressure off aging captain Alex Ovechkin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Silber mentioned Florida’s Sam Reinhart, Carolina’s Teuvo Teravainen and Vegas center (and former Capital) Chandler Stephenson could become available in this summer’s UFA market. Reinhart will likely be re-signed by the Panthers but Teravainen and Stephenson could be free-agent options.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2024

by | May 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 10, 2024

The Rangers push the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination while the Stars tie their series with the Avalanche. Check out the details in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers are on the verge of sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes following their 3-2 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Artemi Panarin scored in overtime while Igor Shesterkin kicked out 45 shots as the Rangers took a commanding 3-0 series lead, leaving them with a 7-0 record in this postseason thus far. Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who will try to stave off elimination in Game 4 on Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm EDT.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are getting scoring chances but Shesterkin has been outstanding in goal for the Rangers. His 7-0 record in this postseason matches the Rangers’ postseason record set by Mike Richter in 1994.

Meanwhile, Blueshirts scorers Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere have risen to the occasion in this series.

Filip Chytil’s return to the lineup gave the Rangers an emotional lift. He’d been sidelined since Nov. 2 with a suspected concussion.

This game was a must-win for the Hurricanes. They find themselves in a deep hole that only four teams have climbed out of in Stanley Cup playoff history. They replaced Frederik Andersen in goal for this contest with Pyotr Kochetkov, who made 25 saves and couldn’t be faulted for this loss.

A powerless power play is a big reason the Hurricanes find themselves in this situation. They’ve gone 0-for-15 with the man advantage in this series. If they don’t rectify this problem, Saturday’s game will be their last of this season.

The Dallas Stars held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 in Game 2 of their second-round series. Roope Hintz had a goal and three assists and Miro Heiskanen tallied twice as the Stars evened the series at a game apiece. The Avalanche made it interesting, rallying with three goals to cut the Stars’ lead to 4-3 before Esa Lindell put the game out of reach with an empty netter. The series moves to Denver for the next two contests with Game 3 on Saturday at 10 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hintz was due for a big game after managing just one point in eight postseason games. He certainly delivered in Game 2.

The Stars’ special teams went two-for-five on the power play and successfully killed off three penalties. They also got a lift with the return of Mason Marchment, who had an assist in his first game since being sidelined with an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 2 of their first-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Given the Avs credit for not giving up after falling behind 4-0. However, their top offensive players (Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar) were held scoreless in this contest.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers could face Game 2 against the Vancouver Canucks without Leon Draisaitl and Adam Henrique. Draisaitl is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment while Henrique is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. An update on their statuses is expected before tonight’s game.










Maple Leafs Fire Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

by | May 9, 2024

Maple Leafs Fire Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

NHL.com: The Toronto Maple Leafs announced head coach Sheldon Keefe was fired. No replacement was named.

Keefe went on social media to accept the decision. He took responsibility for the Leafs’ postseason failures during his tenure.

“I didn’t get it done in the playoffs, I didn’t help push our team over the line and deliver. I accept responsibility for that. No excuses. That’s the job, I didn’t get it done.”

Former Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe (NHL.com)

Keefe thanked the players and the Maple Leafs support staff. He added that he believes the club will win the Stanley Cup, telling Leafs Nation they deserve a championship.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt anyone was surprised by this news. Keefe’s comments say it all regarding his responsibility for the Leafs’ lack of playoff success over the past five seasons.

Keefe deserved his share of the blame but not all of it. He did what he could with the team that was built for him. He’ll land another NHL coaching gig at some point. In the meantime, he’ll still be on the Leafs’ payroll courtesy of the two-year contract extension he signed with them last year.

Former general manager Kyle Dubas and current GM Brad Treliving are also responsible for building the current roster. Dubas already paid the price when he was fired or quit (depending on which side you believe) last year. They’re not firing Treliving after only a year on the job.

Team president Brendan Shanahan also deserves his share. All of this is the result of his vaunted “Shanaplan”, investing heavily in a handful of stars but leaving little salary-cap room to bolster the supporting cast.

Many in Leafs Nation are calling for Shanahan’s firing. The fact he’s taking part in management’s press conference on Friday indicates he’s not going anywhere for now. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment may be content to let him finish the final year of his contract and see how things pan out.

The players – especially Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares – are also responsible. They bear the brunt of it from the fans during every loss and from the media afterward. Sometimes it’s warranted, sometimes not, but it’s a shared responsibility that comes with being an NHL player in the league’s most hockey-mad market.

The Leafs are in a better place compared to eight years ago. They’ve qualified for the playoffs in every season since 2016-17. During Keefe’s tenure, this version of the Leafs posted three of the best records in franchise history, with 115 points in 2021-22, 111 points last season and 102 points this season.

However, that’s small potatoes for a team and a fan base whose 57-year Stanley Cup drought is the league’s longest. Winning just one playoff series in five years wasn’t going to cut it.

Given the Leafs’ current top-heavy roster, ending their long Cup drought will be a daunting challenge for Keefe’s successor.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2024

by | May 9, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2024

Should the Islanders trade Brock Nelson? Will the Lightning peddle Anthony Cirelli? Could the Sabres trade their 2024 first-rounder? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE ISLANDERS TRADE BROCK NELSON?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello needs to shake up the core of his roster. He suggests trading forward Brock Nelson.

Brooks praised Nelson as an exemplary leader and team representative over the past 11 seasons. However, the 32-year-old winger would have value in the trade market as a full-season rental before his contract expires at the end of next season.

New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

Moving captain Anders Lee seems impossible given he has two years left on this contract with an AAV of $7 million and a 15-team no-trade clause. Bo Horvat has a full no-movement clause while Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock have full NTCs. They won’t part with Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson. JG Pageau has two years left on his deal with an AAV of $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know what the always-secretive Lamoriello has in store for his club this summer. If the Isles GM takes Brooks’ advice, Nelson’s 16-team no-trade clause will hamper efforts to move him.

COULD ANTHONY CIRELLI BECOME THE NEXT LIGHTNING CAP CASUALTY?

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina recently looked at five things the Lightning must do during the offseason. Re-signing Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman top the list but doing so means shedding sufficient salary to do so.

General manager Julien BriseBois said nothing was off the table when it comes to moving an existing contract to sign Stamkos and Hedman. One player worth watching is Anthony Cirelli because he’s the only member of the Lightning’s group of “locked-in” players lacking no-trade protection this summer.

It’s difficult to see the Lightning trading Cirelli. He’s their second-line center and their best two-way forward. However, he also carries a $6.25 million annual cap hit for the next seven years.

Encina also mentioned the possibility of getting defenseman Erik Cernak to accept a trade. However, the Lightning likely wouldn’t get much in return and might have to retain part of his salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cirelli would draw plenty of attention around the league, especially from rebuilding clubs with plenty of trade capital (draft picks, prospects, affordable young players) to offer up in return. It’ll be interesting to see if BriseBois would go that far.

Cernak’s no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. BriseBois could move him before then but he still won’t fetch as much as Cirelli.

WILL THE SABRES TRADE THEIR 2024 FIRST-ROUND PICK?

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski believes the Buffalo Sabres should trade their 2024 first-round pick (11th overall) for more immediate roster help. He based this on the club being in a “win-now situation” according to new head coach Lindy Ruff.

The Sabres are already well-stocked in good young roster players and prospects. Lysowski suggested targeting cap-strapped clubs like the Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets that could be trying to shed salary this summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn shares Lysowski’s view but only if the Sabres can find the right trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. The Sabres have missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons. They must do something to end that streak and become perennial postseason contenders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

by | May 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

The Panthers tie their series with the Bruins, the Canucks rally to take Game 1 against the Oilers, the Ted Lindsay Award finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers thumped the Boston Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart collected four helpers and Brandon Montour picked up three points as the Panthers even the series at a game apiece. Charlie Coyle replied for the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman was pulled in the third period after giving up four goals on 23 shots. The series moves to Boston for the next two games with Game 3 on Friday, May 10, at 7 pm EDT.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a dominating performance by the Panthers. They outshot the Bruins 33-15, forcing them into making costly defensive mistakes.

The intensity between the Bruins and Panthers boiled over in the third period with the two clubs combining for 136 minutes in penalties. There was also a scrap between Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

Some observers wonder if the Bruins will start Linus Ullmark in Game 3 after pulling Swayman from this contest. I think they’ll return with Swayman given his solid overall performance in this postseason. He shouldn’t be punished for his teammate’s sloppy defense.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland scored the winning goal to cap a four-goal rally in a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round series. Zach Hyman scored twice as the Oilers surged to a 4-1 lead in the second period. However, Elias Lindholm, J.T. Miller and Nikita Zadorov scored to set the stage for Garland’s game-winner. Game 2 is on Friday starting at 10 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had 14 shots on goal when they took a 4-1 lead. They only had four more over the rest of the game as Vancouver outshot them 24-18. The Canucks maintained their poise despite being dominated early in this game. Lindholm’s goal late in the second period cut the Oilers’ lead to 4-2, providing the spark for the Canucks third-period surge.

It was a big game for Canucks forward Dakota Joshua as he had a goal and two assists. This is the fifth straight win for the Canucks over the Oilers as they also swept the regular-season series 4-0.

Oilers forward Adam Henrique missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced in the lineup by Connor Brown.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award as this season’s outstanding player as voted by NHLPA members.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Kucherov won the Lindsay in 2018-19 while Matthews took home the award in 2021-22. This is MacKinnon’s first time as a finalist for this award.

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (lower-body injury) has yet to resume skating and is listed as indefinitely out of the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s absence is one reason the Hurricanes are down 2-0 in their second-round series against the Rangers. They miss his presence on their blueline.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot underwent successful surgery for a nagging wrist injury. The recovery period is two months and he’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Senators decided to retain their first-round pick (seventh overall) in this year’s draft. The club will instead forfeit their first-rounder in 2025 or 2026. That’s punishment for former GM Pierre Dorion gave the Vegas Golden Knights the wrong information about Evgenii Dadonov’s 10-team no-trade list after trading the winger to Vegas in July 2021.

TSN: Utah’s NHL team will debut its name, logo and team colors in 2025-26. They will have jerseys with the name “Utah” on them for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re currently being called the Utah franchise. Why not make that their team name going forward? Just kidding, of course. The new ownership intends to take its time coming up with the right name, logo and colors. That’s understandable given how quickly the franchise relocation from Arizona took place.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

by | May 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault, and the latest updates on the Predators and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE LEAFS’ MITCH MARNER AGREE TO A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving should ask winger Mitch Marner whether he’d have any interest in waiving his no-movement clause.

Marner, 27, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025. Koshan acknowledged he’s one of the best hockey players on the planet but his performance in the Leafs’ first-round series against Boston was underwhelming and not close to what a leader should provide.

Koshan suggested exploring the trade market to see if Marner would fetch a No. 1 defenseman. If not, they can use part of the money they would’ve invested in him to sign a top blueliner in next summer’s free agent market.

Meanwhile, Steve Simmons doubts Marner or team captain John Tavares will agree to waive their no-movement clauses. He thinks Marner might have some value in the trade market but it will be limited compared to his worth because he only has a year left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Simmons dismissed the notion that Marner could fetch the Leafs any number of great young players as mostly fantasy. He believes the Leafs will be in a better position to address their needs next summer when Marner and Tavares come off their books.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner could agree to waive his NMC if Treliving tells him they won’t offer a contract extension or if he starts to feel the pressure of playing in Toronto is too much. If he does, however, the Leafs likely won’t get a great return even if he agreed to a contract extension with his new club as a condition of the trade.

I’ve seen some folks suggesting the Leafs offer up Marner to the Utah franchise straight up for Clayton Keller. That won’t happen. Keller is their best player and a foundation piece on a roster of good young players. He also carries an affordable $7.125 million annual cap hit through 2027-28. They’ll want to add someone who can play with him.

WILL JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT REMAIN WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

LAS VEGAS SUN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/THE ATHLETIC: Jack Williams, Ed Graney and Jesse Granger report Jonathan Marchessault wants to remain with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 33-year-old winger is among the few remaining original members of the club. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million and is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

“I’ve done everything I can to stay here,” Marchessault told reporters Tuesday as he and his teammates cleaned out their lockers for this season. “I know I’m a big part of this organization and team. I’ve proved that over the years.”.

“I’m pretty confident. I’d love to stay. This is my home. I’m part of the guys that started this. It’s the most proud thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Marchessault said he spoke with general manager Kelly McCrimmon and their chat went well. “He wants me back,” he said. “He likes me, obviously, and the feeling is mutual.” McCrimmon agreed the conversation went well, adding he’s had preliminary talks with the winger and his agent.

The problem is the Golden Knights’ limited salary-cap space. They have roughly $7.6 million available with 18 active roster players under contract for next season. A new contract for Marchessault could cost between $6 million and $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take plenty of salary-cap gymnastics to free up sufficient room to sign Marchessault and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

That means making a cost-cutting trade or two. All of the expensive Golden Knights have some form of no-trade protection. Four – Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo – have no-movement clauses.

William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore and Adin Hill carry cap hits of $4.9 million or higher and have modified no-trade clauses. One of them could become a trade candidate.

LATEST ON THE PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty and Gentry Estes report Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz said everything was on the table regarding his off-season plans for the club.

Trotz told reporters on Tuesday that he wants to build up his top nine forwards, adding more youth and speed to augment the top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.

“We’ve got some draft capital that will allow us to be flexible and use those assets to acquire (talent),” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Trotz could be leaning toward re-signing Juuse Saros rather than trading him. The 29-year-old goaltender has a year remaining on his contract. The Predators can re-sign him starting on July 1. Trotz said Saros wants to stay and he wants to keep him. “We’re gonna work hard on getting something done with him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros was the subject of frequent trade speculation often linking him to the New Jersey Devils. He’s earning an AAV of $5 million on his current deal and it will cost more to re-sign him. I don’t doubt Trotz’s sincerity about retaining Saros but it will be worthwhile to monitor those negotiations.

UPDATE ON THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting the Devils are speaking to multiple candidates for their vacant head-coaching job, including former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils hope to hire a new coach within 7-10 days. “They should have a clearer picture by the end of this week.”