NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2024

by | May 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2024

The Bruins eliminated the Maple Leafs from the first round again, the second round schedule for the Eastern Conference is released, the Lady Byng Trophy finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins advanced to the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of their first-round series. David Pastrnak scored in overtime to send his team into a second-round showdown with the Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Bruins from the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Hampus Lindholm tied the game for the Bruins after the Leafs’ William Nylander opened the scoring midway through the third period.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

Auston Matthews collected an assist as he returned to the Leafs lineup after missing two games with an undisclosed illness. Ilya Samsonov made 29 saves for the Leafs as he replaced Joseph Woll, who was injured in Game 6. Jeremy Swayman stopped 30 shots for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman was the hero of this series for the Bruins. He played in six of the seven games, sporting a 1.49 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage, giving up two goals or less in five of those contests. Pastrnak was challenged to step up his game by Bruins coach Jim Montgomery following Game 6 and responded with what has to be the biggest goal of his NHL career.

The Leafs deserve kudos for overcoming a 3-1 series deficit but the final result remains the same. Since 2017, they’ve been eliminated from the first round in seven of eight postseason series. Five of those series went seven games, three against the Bruins, whom they haven’t beaten in a playoff series since 1959.

Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov faced justified criticism over his shaky play earlier in this series but cannot be faulted for their Game 7 loss. He was steady throughout, giving the Leafs a chance to win. Samsonov is an unrestricted free agent this summer and won’t be re-signed but his final game as a Leaf gave him a bit of redemption.

The calls for change from Leafs Nations cannot be ignored. It started last year with the replacement of Kyle Dubas as general manager. There will be more significant moves to come. I’ll have more on this topic in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: The Bruins made NHL history with 16 Game 7 victories. They also appeared in a league-record 31 Game 7s’.

NHL.COM: The Eastern Conference second-round playoff schedule was announced following the Bruins-Leafs game. The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers face off starting at 4 pm EDT on Sunday, May 5. The Bruins meet the Florida Panthers starting Monday, May 6, at 8 pm ET.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin are this year’s finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s most gentlemanly player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. This is the first time Pettersson has been a finalist. It’s the third in five years for Matthews and the third time in four years for Slavin.

SPORTSNET: Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce will miss the first two games of his team’s second-round series against the Rangers. He’s been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Game 2 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series against the New York Islanders.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 4, 2024

by | May 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 4, 2024

What could be in store for the Predators in the offseason? What’s the latest on the Kings and Canadiens? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE PREDATORS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at the offseason keys for the Nashville Predators following their first-round elimination by the Vancouver Canucks.

The Predators were 10th in goals per game during the regular season. However, their lack of production against the Canucks could prompt them to find more options for next season.

Decisions must be made regarding Anthony Beauvillier, Alexandre Carrier and Jason Zucker. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Clark wondered when promising goaltender Yaroslav Askarov would make his full-time NHL debut. He could share the crease next season with starter Juuse Saros, who has a year remaining on his contract. Askarov could take over as their starter the following season.

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Rexrode suggested trading Saros this summer to free up salary-cap space to bring in some help for Predators stars Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi. Re-signing the 29-year-old goalie to a long-term deal in the range of $8 million annually would be an unwise course of action with the gifted Askarov on the rise.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros was the subject of trade speculation this season. General manager Barry Trotz refused to move him and was rewarded when Saros helped the Predators clinch a playoff spot.

The Predators have over $18 million in cap space with 17 roster players under contract next season, including all of their core players. There’s room to make additions without trading Saros if he wants to keep him around next season to begin the transition to Askarov. However, that could also cause an unnecessary distraction for next season.

Keeping Saros for next season also means losing him for nothing to free agency next July. He would fetch a decent return in this summer’s trade market while freeing up his $5 million cap hit. That would clear room for Askarov’s promotion, but Trotz must ensure he has a reliable veteran backup to mentor the young netminder.

THE LATEST ON THE KINGS

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens looked at the five questions that will shape the Los Angeles Kings’ offseason. Who will be their general manager and head coach top his list, followed by what to do with underachieving center Pierre-Luc Dubois, the futures of their UFAs, and the club’s direction in the future?

Dubois has seven seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million. They could buy him out at one-third of the deal’s remaining value if the buyout occurs before his 26th birthday, which is June 24, which is the last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final. The buyout window opens on June 15 or 48 hours following the end of the Final, whichever is later.

The Kings could also push for a trade before Dubois’ no-movement clause begins on July 1. They would probably have to retain up to half of his cap hit to spark any interest in the trade market. Their other option is retaining him and hope that a new head coach and a new system might bring out the best in Dubois.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stephens acknowledged a buyout, even at 1/3 the remaining value, would be on the Kings’ books for the next 14 seasons. Nevertheless, he pointed out that it could reshape them on the fly, providing salary-cap flexibility to address their roster needs. A buyout could be more palatable than trading him and retaining $4.25 million annually over the next seven years.

I don’t believe the Kings ownership wants to buy out Dubois. For his part, he admitted his first season in Los Angeles didn’t go as planned but said he’s committed to a better performance in 2024-25. “I’ll do anything to be better,” he said.

It’ll be interesting to see how this situation plays out. If the Kings intend to buy out Dubois they’ll hope the playoffs end well before his birthday on June 24. If they go the trade route, they’ll have a limited window of opportunity that will slam shut on July 1.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary noted the Kings and winger Arthur Kaliyev didn’t see eye-to-eye for most of this season, affecting his performance and development. He recommended offering him to the New York Islanders for a draft pick or a prospect.

The Islanders badly need more offense. Kaliyev, 22, could be an affordable option for them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings could retain Kaliyev and see how he does under a new head coach but it’s more likely he’ll be traded. Whether the Islanders would be interested is another story.

UPDATE ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu believes the Montreal Canadiens prefer to avoid signing free agents to long-term contracts, at least until they’ve sorted out those of Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach, and determined how much money will be at their disposal as the salary cap rises. If someone like Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault were to agree to a two or three-year deal, that’s something Basu believes they might consider.

The Canadiens could consider acquiring a young forward coming off an entry-level contract who their teams might undervalue. He suggested forward Cole Perfetti might be an option if the Winnipeg Jets don’t consider him ready to contribute right now. The Jets could use depth on their blueline, prompting Basu to suggest offering up the first-round pick that the Habs got from the Jets for Sean Monahan and/or one of their excess of young, cheap NHL-ready defensemen.

Basu also mentioned the possibility of taking a bigger swing in the trade market by pursuing Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras or Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. Of the two, Necas would be the more affordable to acquire as the Ducks will set a high asking price for Zegras.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico also pondered the possibility of the Canadiens acquiring another young forward at the draft. In addition to Zegras and Necas, he mentioned St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou. He suggested the possibility of a smaller move for someone like Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti, Columbus’ Kent Johnson or New Jersey’s Alexander Holtz.

The Canadiens will likely draw on their depth of promising defensemen for trade bait. D’Amico suggested Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom or Justin Barron as trade options. He didn’t rule out the possibility of shopping veteran David Savard, who garnered interest at the March trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens management acknowledged their need for more scoring and are expected to add one or two forwards via trade or perhaps free agency. GM Kent Hughes could pursue one of the players mentioned by Basu and D’Amico but could also have his eye on a forward that no one expects to be available.

Zegras will be very costly with the asking price starting with Montreal’s first-round pick and defense prospect David Reinbacher. Necas, Perfetti, Johnson and Holtz would be much more affordable. Kyrou probably isn’t available but it never hurts to ask. The Jets likely won’t give up on Perfetti but they might be open to offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

by | May 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

The Canucks advance to the second round, the Golden Knights force Game 7 with the Stars, the Jack Adams Award finalists are revealed, the Penguins make a change to their coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs by eliminating the Nashville Predators with a 1-0 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series. Pius Suter scored the only goal with 1:39 remaining in the game and Arturs Silovs made 28 saves as the Canucks will face the Edmonton Oilers in the next round. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the Predators.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs. (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the fourth straight game in this series that was decided by one goal with the Canucks winning three of those contests. They also got those victories with three different goaltenders. Thatcher Demko won Game 1, Casey DeSmith took Game 3 filling in for the injured Demko, and Silovs got their other two wins from Game 4 onward after DeSmith was sidelined.

The Predators’ popgun powerplay was their biggest weakness, scoring just twice with 22 man-advantage opportunities. They also blew the lead in Games 1 and 4 which proved costly in this series.

There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the Dallas Stars and the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone scored in the third period and Adin Hill made 23 saves as the Golden Knights shut out the Stars 2-0. Jake Oettinger turned aside 28 shots for the Stars. Game 7 goes on Sunday, May 5 in Dallas at 7:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid defensive effort by Vegas made the difference in a goaltender’s duel between Hill and Oettinger. This was also a better-disciplined effort by the Golden Knights, avoiding the costly penalties that led to the Stars’ victories in Games 4 and 5.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators, and Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the league’s Coach of the Year for 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Bowness, Brunette and Tocchet. This is the first time Bowness and Tocchet have been named as finalists for this award. It’s the second time for Brunette as he was runner-up in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins fired associate coach Todd Reirden on Friday. He’d been with the club since 2020-21 and oversaw the club’s power play, which fell to 30th overall this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Sullivan were rumored to be in a “power struggle” over the coaching staff. However, it was clear a change had to be made given the club’s woeful performance on the power play this season.

This could further stoke rumors that Sullivan might quit or get fired but I don’t see either scenario happening. If he were getting fired it would’ve happened by now, especially with notable former NHL coaches like Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Dean Evason and Gerard Gallant available. Reirden’s firing shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for Sullivan.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is progressing in his recovery from an undisclosed illness. However, there’s been no determination regarding his availability for Saturday’s Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. The Leafs scoring star was sidelined for Games 5 and 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will likely be a game-time decision by Matthews and the Leafs depending on how he feels following practice on Saturday.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders confirmed general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy will return next season. Lamoriello sounded open to the possibility of roster changes during the offseason. Eight players are slated to become free agents, five of them unrestricted.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bolstering the offense should be Lamoriello’s priority. The Isles’ limited scoring punch nearly derailed their playoff hopes and proved costly in their elimination from the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty isn’t sure what the future holds after this season. The 34-year-old staged a comeback from double Achilles surgery in 2022-23 and played in 47 games this season but admitted being “a shell of my former self” with four goals and 23 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty is on a one-year, $2 million contract. With the Capitals transitioning toward younger players, it seems unlikely he’ll be brought back.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 3, 2024

by | May 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 3, 2024

Looking at some suggested destinations for Steven Stamkos, the latest coaching rumors, and speculation over the former Coyotes’ offseason plans following their move to Utah in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

POSSIBLE OFFSEASON DESTINATIONS FOR STEVEN STAMKOS

SPORTSNET: David Morassutti looked at five potential destinations for Steven Stamkos this summer. The 34-year-old captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 unless he and the Lightning agree to a new contract by then.

Morassutti noted the Lightning’s intention to resign Stamkos and likes their chances of convincing him to stay. However, they have limited salary-cap space and must also ensure sufficient room to re-sign Victor Hedman before his UFA eligibility next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning could be forced to make a cost-cutting move to keep Stamkos, especially if he’s not interested in a hometown discount. Nevertheless, there’s a mutual willingness on both sides to get something done. Unless negotiations fall apart by July 1, he’ll stay in Tampa Bay. 

If the Lightning fail to re-sign Stamkos, Morassutti suggested the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and Toronto Maple Leafs as possible destinations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interesting choices. I’ve summarized his main points as to why each of those teams could become landing places for Stamkos. Click the link provided for his detailed explanations.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

The Red Wings are managed by former Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman, who convinced Stamkos to re-sign with the Bolts in 2016. The Wings have plenty of salary-cap space but must also re-sign Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. Still, Morassutti believes they could be a prime destination if they move some players to gain cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Does Stamkos want to join a rebuilding team that’s trying to get over the playoff hump, or would he prefer joining a club that’s close to Cup contention? If it’s the latter (and I suspect it would be), the Red Wings won’t fit the bill.

Stamkos’ former teammates Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are now in the Canadiens organization. However, some will wonder if adding a high-priced free agent would be the right move for a team going through a rebuild. At some point, however, the Canadiens will have to make a push to reach the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt Stamkos is interested in joining a rebuilding club regardless of whoever from his past is on the team. The Canadiens are at least two years away from being playoff contenders. They could find younger options than Stamkos that fit better into their timeline.

The Predators could use a premium goalscorer. He would also bring them additional leadership.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators are currently in a transition phase. They already have plenty of veteran leadership in Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly and Stamkos’ former teammate Ryan McDonagh. They possess over $18 million in cap space but could use that flexibility to bring in younger and less expensive talent.

Morassutti considers the Leafs a dark-horse candidate. John Tavares and Mitch Marner are a year away from UFA eligibility. The Leafs’ decisions regarding those two will determine how they navigate this summer’s free-agent market. They attempted to woo Stamkos eight years ago but could they have better luck this time?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No, they won’t have better luck this time. The Leafs “Shanaplan” got derailed by signing Tavares in 2018 when their focus should’ve been improving their defense and goaltending. Signing Stamkos would be repeating their past mistake.

LATEST NHL COACHING RUMORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reported the Senators have begun interviewing candidates for their vacant head-coaching position. It’s believed they’ve spoken with or are interested in former Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason, former St. Louis Blues bench boss Craig Berube, former Los Angeles Kings’ head coach Todd McLellan and New Jersey Devils interim coach Travis Green.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Which would you like to see coaching your club, Senators fans? Let us know in the comments section below.

Garrioch also provided us with some interesting rumors regarding other current coaches.

Rumors linked the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mike Sullivan with the New Jersey Devils. If the Toronto Maple Leafs fire Sheldon Keefe, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could allow Sullivan to go to New Jersey to make room for Keefe.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas released a statement earlier this week claiming the Devils have not asked permission to speak with Sullivan nor was permission granted. Earlier this week, it was reported that a power struggle was brewing between Dubas and Sullivan over the club’s assistant coaches. However, most observers believe Sullivan will be staying put.

League sources claim the Senators have serious interest in Evason and have had at least one face-to-face meeting. The San Jose Sharks reached out to the Wild seeking permission to speak with Evason…It’s believed the Kraken could promote Dan Bylsma, who coaches their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. They may have also reached out to McLellan…Berube is reportedly “intrigued” by the Senators position but has other options and is staying patient…The Senators would be very interested if the Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour became available. However, he would cost $7 million per season and the Sens likely won’t shell out that much for a head coach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour seems close to signing an extension with the Hurricanes. If he did become available I agree he’d be too expensive for the Senators to sign.

FORMER COYOTES EXPECTED TO ADD TO THEIR ROSTER THIS SUMMER

THE FOURTH PERIOD: Having moved to Utah, the former Arizona Coyotes could make some additions to their roster this summer.

General manager Bill Armstrong’s mandate from his team’s new ownership is to shoot for the playoffs next season. He’s expected to explore this summer’s trade and free-agent markets for players who can immediately help his roster.

Armstrong won’t acquire high-priced contracts to bail out cap-strapped teams, unlike previous years. Any additions this summer will be to upgrade the roster. Sources claim Armstrong seeks a second-line center and a top-four defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The financial shackles are finally off Armstrong. Years of rebuilding have given the former Coyotes a solid base of good young talent. They need a couple of skilled veterans in their prime to provide leadership and experience.

Utah could become a playoff contender next season with the right moves. It’ll be interesting to see if Armstrong can pull it off.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

by | May 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

The Maple Leafs force Game 7 with the Bruins in their opening-round series. Get the details plus the latest playoff news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 in Game 6 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. William Nylander scored both goals and Joseph Woll made 22 saves for the Leafs, who overcame a 3-1 series deficit to force a seventh and deciding game in Boston on Saturday. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins with one second remaining in the third period and teammate Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots. The start time for Game 7 is 8 pm EDT.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after their listless loss in Game 4, the Leafs have flipped the script in this series. The pressure is now on the Bruins, who return home facing the prospect of blowing a 3-1 series lead and being eliminated from the opening round for the second straight year.

Like their win in Game 5, the Leafs played a solid defensive game to contain the Bruins’ offense. Woll has been solid between the pipes. His teammates are drawing strength and confidence from his steady performance.

Leafs star Auston Matthews remained sidelined by an illness for the second straight game but has returned to skating with his teammate in practice. Nylander, meanwhile, stepped up in this game to fill the void.

After the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery called out his club’s leading scorer David Pastrnak. “’Pasta’ needs to step up”, he said. “He needs to be a dominant player like he used to. He’s doing it in flurries, but not consistently.” Pastrnak has two goals and two assists in this series but was held scoreless in the last two games.

Don’t expect a goaltending change for the Bruins in Game 7. Swayman wasn’t to blame for his club’s two losses, giving up only two goals in Game 5 with a .939 save percentage and two in Game 6 (.923). That’s especially true in the first period of both games with the Leafs outshooting the Bruins 11-2 in the fifth game and 12-1 in the sixth.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: The second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs starts Sunday with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We could learn the start times for other second-round series depending on the outcome of Friday night’s games. The Vancouver Canucks hold a 3-2 series lead as they face the Predators in Nashville while the Dallas Stars are up 3-2 over the Golden Knights as the two clubs face off in Las Vegas.

TSN’s Darren Dreger took to social media on Thursday reporting the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t interested in allowing head coach Rod Brind’Amour to test the open market this summer. He indicated the two sides have recently come together and it “looks encouraging an extension will get done.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s contract situation drew considerable buzz earlier this week following reports claiming he was uncertain about his future in Carolina after the club pulled their offer from the table.

Brind’Amour responded saying he wanted to stay in Carolina. Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Don Waddell maintained their confidence that an agreement would be reached soon.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are using the Golden Knights’ physical play against them by making them pay on the power play. Two undisciplined penalties by the Golden Knights in the last two games led to the Stars cashing in with the man advantage.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights need a more disciplined game from top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo if they hope to stave off elimination in Friday’s game against the Stars. He was called out by head coach Bruce Cassidy after his penalty against Dallas winger Tyler Seguin in Game 5 led to the Stars’ game-winning goal.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller brought some levity to his teammates by wearing teammate Arturs Silovs’ flashy pink and paisley dress shirt during practice on Thursday. Silovs took Miller’s prank in strike. “It looks good on him,” he laughed.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn hopes to return to the lineup for Game 6 after an illness sidelined him in Game 5.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox missed practice on Thursday for the second straight day for a maintenance day. That’s raised concern about the condition of his right knee following a collision with the Washington Capitals’ Nick Jensen on Sunday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight is back with the Panthers after spending the regular season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Knight left the Panthers in February 2023 after being admitted into the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program seeking treatment for OCD.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, and Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington are this year’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists for being recognized for their perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey this season.

TSN: Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis denied a report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan claiming he received an ultimatum from several players demanding the replacement of Dave Hakstol as head coach. Hakstol was fired on Tuesday after three seasons behind the Kraken bench.

“Zero players issued any ultimatums of any kind regarding the coach – that I can assure you,” said Francis. Kraken winger Jordan Eberle also denied the report.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Hurricanes signed a three-year affiliate agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL player Cody Hodgson has retired for the second time. His original retirement was in 2017 after a condition known as malignant hypothermia ended his six-year NHL career.

The 34-year-old center staged a comeback this season, earning an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals. In 13 games, he had six goals and eight points but soon found the symptoms of his condition had returned.

Hodgson said he was at peace with his decision to retire again. His comeback effort brought him a sense of closure that he could still perform at a professional level. “I answered the question that I could play again. Maybe someone else would look at it objectively and conclude something different, but I thought I could keep up with the kids,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Hodgson in his future endeavours.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2024

by | May 2, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2024

Are changes in store for the Kings following another first-round playoff exit? Would Leon Draisaitl be interested in joining the Bruins? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE KINGS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looks at what might be in store for the Los Angeles Kings following another first-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

Clark pointed out the Kings had this season’s second-best penalty-killing stats but that turned into a weakness against the Oilers’ offense.

There could be a big turnover in goal this summer. Cam Talbot, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Trevor Lewis and defensemen Matt Roy are also UFA-eligible this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was rumored the Kings attempted to acquire Linus Ullmark before the trade deadline but the Boston Bruins goalie used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. General manager Rob Blake could attempt to add a starter such as Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom or Nashville’s Juuse Saros this summer with Rittich retained as their backup.

Arvidsson’s injury history could lead to his departure via free agency. The 37-year-old Lewis probably won’t be back. Roy could be let go if Jordan Spence replaces him on the second-pairing and if Brandt Clarke is ready for full-time NHL duty next season.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens is critical of Blake’s management, pointing to his acquisition and signing of underachieving center Pierre-Luc Dubois. That move was among several questionable deals that left the Kings with insufficient salary-cap space to improve their roster at the March trade deadline.

Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images)

With the Kings facing continued mediocrity, Stephens suggests a shift in course with someone other than Blake as general manager. He pointed to Blake’s inability to address his club’s goaltending after Cal Petersen failed to seize the starter’s job in 2021-22, leaving the Kings scrambling to find a suitable replacement.

Dubois hasn’t come close to unseating Anze Kopitar or Phillip Danault among their top two centers. He has seven more seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

Buying out Dubois would count against the Kings’ salary cap for the next 14 years. A trade would mean retaining half of his AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stephens cited the positive things Blake had done (drafting and developing young talent like Quinton Byfield and acquiring Kevin Fiala) but the goaltending and the Dubois contract are the major blunders he believes have hamstrung the Kings. It remains to be seen if the Kings ownership shares his belief that a management change is necessary.

COULD DRAISAITL SIGN WITH THE BRUINS NEXT SUMMER?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited Georges Laraque telling a Montreal sports radio show that Leon Draisaitl is interested in joining the Boston Bruins if he doesn’t re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers.

Draisaitl is slated to become a UFA next July. Laraque cited someone “well-placed within the Oilers organization” claiming the high-scoring forward could leave the club next summer if they don’t go deep in the playoffs, adding “he’d prefer to be a first-line center in Boston.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl will become a hot topic in the rumor mill if he doesn’t sign a contract extension before next season. Nevertheless, he could be keen to stick around with Connor McDavid beyond next season. His future in Edmonton could come down to how much of a raise he’s seeking over his current $8.5 million AAV.

Assuming Draisaitl is interested in playing for the Bruins, they’d have to wait until next summer to get him as a free agent. They reportedly lacked sufficient depth in tradeable assets to acquire Elias Lindholm or Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline. They won’t have enough to get one of the NHL’s high-scoring superstars this summer or next season.

The Bruins have nearly $45 million invested in seven players for 2025-26. The salary cap could rise to over $92 million for that season. There would be plenty of room to sign Draisaitl for a long-term deal worth $15 million annually.

Oh, you thought it would be much less than that? Think again. Draisaitl has been underpaid for years. He will seek a new contract befitting one of the NHL’s leading superstars.

Still, that looks like plenty of cap space to accommodate Draisaitl, right? Wrong.

Team captain Brad Marchand will need a contract extension. They must sign goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a new contract (probably between $6 million and $7 million annually given his arbitration status), re-sign or replace Jake DeBrusk, and fill out the rest of the roster. Rumor has it they could pursue a center who can play on their top-two lines plus a top-four defenseman via free agency in July. They won’t come cheap.

Even if the Bruins could do all that with some cap room to spare, they won’t have enough for Draisaitl without shedding sufficient space to ensure they can win a bidding war for his services.

I’m not saying the Bruins can’t sign Draisaitl if he wants to come to Boston. However, it’ll take a hell of a lot of work to free up the cap space to make it happen without significantly weakening their roster depth in the process.

LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Jason Mackey suggested how Penguins GM Kyle Dubas can improve his club for next season and beyond.

One option is exploring the possibility of trading Erik Karlsson to the Ottawa Senators if they’re interested in reacquiring their former captain. Karlsson denied rumors of returning to Ottawa in March but Mackey didn’t believe him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe Karlsson would agree to return to the Senators but I don’t believe their new ownership and management want to bring him back. Even if Dubas agreed to retain half of the $10 million of his $11.5 million AAV that the Penguins currently carry, the Senators are likely looking at younger, more affordable right-shot options for their blueline.

Mackey also suggested Dubas attempt to find a trade partner to take goaltender Tristan Jarry and his $5.375 million cap hit for the next four years off his hands. Another option is shopping a winger such as Reilly Smith or Rickard Rakell.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas seems intent on sticking with Jarry and call up promising Joel Blomqvist as his understudy next season. Trading Smith or Rakell seems a more likely option.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes Ryan Graves’ contract would be a major sticking point in any attempt to trade the 28-year-old defenseman this summer. He’s signed for five more years with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.

Graves’ struggles in his first season with the Penguins damaged his trade value. Their best bet is to hope he regains his former next season.