NHL Rumor Mill – October 12, 2024

by | Oct 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 12, 2024

Check out the latest on Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Stars goalie Jake Oettinger in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Andrew Knoll wondered if Trevor Zegras remains part of the Anaheim Duck’s nucleus after a disappointing, injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign in which he was the subject of trade rumors.

The Ducks are flush at center with Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish anchoring their top-six forwards. Zegras, 23, has played on both the left and right wings and is being challenged to improve his all-around game.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Zegras is entering the second season of his three-year contract with an annual average value of $5.75 million. Nevertheless, Knoll suggests this season could be critical for his future with the Ducks and his capability of reaching a high level of NHL stardom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek denied he was shopping Zegras or received any trade calls from other clubs. That didn’t stop the young forward from popping up in the rumor mill.

An improved effort by Zegras this season could restore his place among the Ducks’ foundation of budding young stars. It could also increase his value to other teams before the March 7 trade deadline.

Zegras isn’t the only Duck showing up in recent trade speculation. Defenseman Cam Fowler reportedly had discussions with management about his future in Anaheim, including the possibility of a trade. Goaltender John Gibson has also been the topic of media trade chatter.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discussed what Jake Oettinger’s next contract might look like. The 25-year-old Dallas Stars goaltender can become a restricted free agent in July.

Yaremchuk suggested the next contract for Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers would be the high level while Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins could be the floor for elite goaltenders.

Swayman signed an eight-year deal last Sunday worth an AAV of $8.25 million. If Shesterkin’s next AAV is $12 million, Yaremchuk speculated Oettinger could seek the middle ground, perhaps around $9 million to $9.25 million.

Seravalli said the Stars and Oettinger haven’t started contract extension talks. Given how the market for goalie contracts is changing, he suggests the Stars should open those discussions sooner instead of later.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman’s new contract will be the baseline for Oettinger, who has a larger body of work. He could use Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9.5 million AAV) or Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky ($10 million) as a comparable if he backstops the Stars to the Stanley Cup next spring.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2024

by | Oct 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 12, 2024

Nikita Kucherov tallies a season-opening hat trick, Tyler Myers sidelined in Canucks loss to shootout loss to the Flyers, plus the latest on Jonathan Drouin, Macklin Celebrini, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nikita Kucherov tallied a natural hat trick and collected an assist to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a season-opening 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Victor Hedman had three assists and Jake Guentzel had two assists in his Lightning debut. Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov picked up where he left off last season when he won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer.

The Philadelphia Flyers nipped the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on a shootout goal by Morgan Frost. Samuel Ersson stopped 24 shots for his first win of the season while Kevin Lankinen turned aside 29 shots for the Canucks, who also lost defenseman Tyler Myers after injuring his right leg in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko were held scoreless in their NHL debut. The Flyers played without defenseman Nick Seeler, who was placed on injured reserve before this game with a knee injury.

Vegas Golden Knights forwards Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and an assist to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals and collected an assist for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game began, the Golden Knights reclaimed forward Raphael Lavoie off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers and sent him to their AHL affiliate.

They claimed him from the Oilers earlier in the week, who reclaimed him on Wednesday before putting him on waivers Thursday. No other team made a claim for Lavoie, meaning he didn’t have to pass through waivers to be sent to the Golden Knights’ farm team.

The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Mark Scheifele for a 2-1 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Scheifele tied the game with 1:04 remaining in the third period and scored 38 seconds into the extra frame. Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves for the win. Ryan Donato scored for the Blackhawks, who got a 33-save performance from Arvid Soderblom.

HEADLINES

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Macklin Celebrini is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks’ promising young center suffered a lower-body injury during his NHL debut on Thursday against the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks lost that game in overtime but Celebrini played well, collecting his first NHL goal and assist.

THE DENVER POST: The injury-ravaged Colorado Avalanche are missing another veteran forward as Jonathan Drouin will miss at least the next two games with an upper-body injury. He joins Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) and Valeri Nichushkin (NHL/NHLPA player assistance program) on the sidelines.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The pairing of Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson remains the one constant on the changing Kraken blueline.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Bruins placed defenseman Ian Mitchell on waivers.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2024

by | Oct 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2024

The latest on Igor Shesterkin, Mikko Rantanen, Sam Bennett and Alexis Lafreniere, an update on the Islanders, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: Darren Dreger provided updates on the contract negotiations between Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers.

Dreger said Shesterkin is just focusing on playing his game now that the season has begun. The recent report claiming he rejected an eight-year, $88 million offer hasn’t fazed him at all. Some believe his range is $11.5 million and $11.7 million, which would make him the highest-paid Ranger.

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cited a source who believes Shesterkin wants to set the market for goaltenders so high that no one will top him for a while. He knows that the Rangers need him and have to sign him.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

D’Amico’s source said the Rangers don’t have an issue making him the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender. “Where the number starts with an 11 or 12, he will be the standard.

Both sides are still negotiating. Shesterkin wants to stay in New York and the Rangers want to keep him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’re not even a week into this season and Shesterkin’s contract situation is dominating the rumor mill. This risks becoming an unnecessary distraction for the Rangers this season.

Turning to Mikko Rantanen, Pierre LeBrun doesn’t think anything’s imminent regarding his contract talks with the Colorado Avalanche. He believes Rantanen’s agent will factor in the rise of the salary cap and the percentage of the cap.

LeBrun thinks Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million average annual value is a bit of an internal cap for the Avalanche. This could get done but not everyone knows for sure if it will.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: $12.5 million annually for eight years could do it but the Avs could be trying to keep it in the $11 million range.

The Florida Panthers signing Carter Verhaeghe to a long-term extension earlier this week prompted Dreger to wonder whether they’ll re-sign versatile two-way forward Sam Bennett.

Dreger believes the Panthers want to keep Bennett. However, he could become a big-ticket player in next summer’s free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett is that guy you hate to play against but love to have on your team. He’s making over $4.4 million annually on his current contract and could seek an average annual value of around $7 million.

THE SCORE: cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting the Rangers have been working on a new contract with Alexis Lafreniere since the summer. Different options are on the table, including an eight-year deal with an AAV of $8 million.

Lafreniere, 23, is in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.33 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere’s breakout performance last season signals better things to come for the 2020 first-overall pick. Getting him locked into a new long-term deal as soon as possible could pay significant dividends against the salary cap down the road.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes New York Islanders winger Pierre Engvall could be a great trade target for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Engvall, 28, cleared waivers earlier this week and was sent to the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He’s in the second season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $3 million.

Bailey believes Flyers head coach John Tortorella might be able to unlock something more from Engvall, whose inconsistent play with the Isles led to his demotion. He pointed to the winger’s size, speed and solid puck possession numbers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of you might suggest that if the Flyers wanted him they could’ve claimed him off waivers without giving up anything in return. However, trading for him now means he doesn’t have to pass through waivers again if the Flyers decide to demote him to their AHL affiliate.

Nevertheless, I doubt the Flyers will be interested. Engvall may be an analytics darling but his overall game needs improvement. He failed to produce more offense as a middle-six forward. The length of his contract is also a concern.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports Mark Giordano, John Klingberg, Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Schultz remain available. The four defensemen are unrestricted free agents still hoping to land NHL jobs. Johnston indicated Schultz turned down some NHL offers and could play in Europe if he doesn’t find the right fit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They could still land jobs if injuries strike early in the season or if cap-strapped clubs find themselves seeking affordable blueline depth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2024

by | Oct 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2024

Recaps of Thursday’s games include milestone games for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini and the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut but his San Jose Sharks blew a three-goal lead to fall 5-4 to the St. Louis Blues. Brayden Schenn tallied the winner in overtime for the Blues after teammates Radek Faksa, Ryan Suter and Justin Faulk scored in the third period. Tyler Toffoli also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The first-overall pick in this year’s draft, Celebrini (18 years, 119 days) became the third-youngest player to notch multiple points in his NHL debut, following Nathan MacKinnon (18 years, 31 days) and Bobby Carpenter (18 years, 67 days).

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin collected two assists, including the 800th of his NHL career, in a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby also picked up two assists, Anthony Beauvillier tallied twice, and Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist. Alex DeBrincat scored two goals and picked up an assist for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid bounce-back effort for Pittsburgh following their 6-0 season-opening loss to the New York Rangers the night before. Penguins netminder Joel Blomqvist picked up his first NHL win with a 29-save performance.

Shaky goaltending and sloppy defensive play continue to be a problem for Detroit, who pulled goalie Ville Husso after he surrendered four goals on 14 shots. Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar had a natural hat trick to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper got the win with a 32-save performance. Alex Tuch scored for the Sabres, who’ve dropped their first three games of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres dominated the first two periods and took a 1-0 lead into the third before the wheels fell off.

The Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-4 for their first win of the season. Elias Lindholm and Cole Koepke each had a goal and two assists, Mark Kastelic scored twice, and Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves in his season debut for the Bruins. Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher had two goals and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Defensive mistakes continue to plague the Canadiens while goalie Cayden Primeau’s weak glove hand remains an issue.

Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen made his NHL debut in this game. A loophole in the IIHF transfer agreement with the NHL could enable the Habs to send him to their AHL affiliate in Laval instead of returning him to his Swedish club if he stays on their roster for 60 consecutive days.

Linus Ullmark kicked out 30 shots in his debut with the Ottawa Senators in a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Tim Stutzle netted two goals as Travis Green picked up his first win as head coach of the Senators. Gustav Forsling replied for the Panthers, who also lost captain Aleksander Barkov to a lower-body injury late in the third period as he attempted to prevent Stutzle’s empty-net goal. He’ll be reevaluated on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark looked sharp in this game, especially in the third with the Panthers outshooting the Senators 16-9.

The Toronto Maple Leafs doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Max Pacioretty scored his first goal with the Leafs while rookie goalie Dennis Hildeby won his NHL debut with a 23-save effort, giving Craig Berube his first win as Leafs coach. Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier replied for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs stars Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner have been held scoreless through their first two games of this season. Meanwhile, the Devils announced defenseman Santeri Hatakka underwent successful shoulder surgery on Thursday but released no timetable for his return.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment scored twice and Logan Stankoven had three assists as their club held on for a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Jonathan Marchessault had two assists in his debut with Nashville and Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Steven Stamkos and Brady Skjei were held scoreless in their first games with the Predators.

The Utah Hockey Club picked up their second straight win by nipping the New York Islanders 5-4. Dylan Guenther scored twice, including the winner in overtime. Josh Doan tied the game for Utah with less than two minutes remaining in the third period. Anthony Duclair had a goal and an assist and Noah Dobson two assists for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Special teams made the difference for Utah, going two-for-two on the power play and killing off five of six penalties.

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Filip Gustavsson turned aside 31 shots for the Wild. Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets also announced yesterday that captain Boone Jenner underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday and could be sidelined for six months.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning’s home opener on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes has been postponed in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Their season-opener is on Friday against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, NC.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Hurricanes, they moved Jesper Fast (neck) to long-term injury reserve.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets placed goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen on waivers. Eric Comrie will back up starter Connor Hellebuyck.

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers placed forward Raphael Lavoie on waivers. It’s the third time he’s been on waivers this week, starting with the Oilers losing him to the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday, only to reclaim him off waivers on Wednesday.

TSN: Donnie Marshall, the last surviving member of the Montreal Canadiens dynasty of the late-1950s, passed away at age 92.

Playing his first NHL game in 1951-52, Marshall entered his first full season in 1954-55, winning five straight Stanley Cups with the Canadiens from 1955-56 to 1959-60.

He also played for the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto Maple Leafs before retiring at the end of the 1971-72 season. He finished with 265 goals and 324 assists for 589 points in 1,176 regular-season games and 23 points in 94 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Marshall’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2024

by | Oct 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2024

Check out the latest on Igor Shesterkin, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sam Bennett and Filip Gustavsson plus updates on the Ducks and Leafs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” RUMOR TIDBITS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reports he’s had no firm confirmation that the New York Rangers offered Igor Shesterkin an eight-year, $88-million contract. However, if that was the offer that was made, it’s no surprise the 28-year-old goaltender rejected it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN’s Kevin Weekes first reported this story. He has a solid track record for breaking news like this. Friedman isn’t saying Weekes was given the wrong info, only that his own sources can’t confirm the numbers.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Friedman believes the Rangers aren’t comfortable with Shesterkin’s asking price, which would also make him their highest-paid player. He also cites teams and agents saying the percentage of the salary cap is a critical factor, especially with the cap expected to rise. “No agent or player wishes to sign something that looks relatively small if things go where predicted,” wrote Friedman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The New York Post’s Mollie Walker reported in June that the Rangers netminder would seek an average annual value of $12 million on a long-term deal.

There are fewer A-list goaltenders these days which is why their wages overall have been suppressed. Nevertheless, the Rangers have a top goalie in Shesterkin, prompting Friedman to suggest that they will eventually meet his asking price because of his value to the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve been saying that for weeks and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way. You can debate whether Shesterkin deserves $12 million annually but he’s perfectly positioned to make that request.

Friedman admits there were times last summer when he thought the Minnesota Wild would trade goaltender Filip Gustavsson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are starting this season with Gustavsson, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Jesper Wallstedt in goal. Gustavsson could be moved at some point but it could be difficult to find him sufficient playing time to generate interest among other clubs. They might have to wait until the trade deadline.

Friedman wondered if an eve-of-season contract extension was possible between the Winnipeg Jets and winger Nikolaj Ehlers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen.

Ehlers is slated to become a UFA next July. He appeared in trade rumors during the draft in June but that talks fizzled out as Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Scott Arniel sang his praises while offering their expectations of his role with the club this season.

After signing Carter Verhaeghe to a contract extension, the Florida Panthers are expected to focus on retaining Sam Bennett.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will have a projected $20 million in cap space for 2025-26 if the salary cap rises as projected by $4.5 million. That would give them enough to re-sign Bennett but he will want a substantial raise over his current $4.425 million cap hit.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler will draw interest in the trade market. Friedman believes the St. Louis Blues took a long look at him. However, it’ll take time for interested teams that currently lack salary cap space to pursue him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler carries an AAV of $6.5 million through 2025-26.

Speaking of the Ducks, Friedman said things are quiet on the Trevor Zegras front. He noted there was speculation last season linking the 23-year-old forward to the Montreal Canadiens but that’s cooled off.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens made their big move for a forward by acquiring Patrik Laine in August. Laine is currently sidelined until December with a sprained knee but they’re reportedly going to ride things out with their current roster until he returns.

LATEST ON THE MAPLE LEAFS

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox included Mitch Marner on his recent list of 25 people who will define the 2024-25 NHL season. The 27-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Fox will be surprised if Marner accepts a contract extension with an average annual value less than teammate William Nylander’s $11.5 million.

Leafs general manager Brad Treliving could attempt to trade Marner before the March 7 trade deadline, which is unlikely given the winger’s full no-movement clause. He could re-sign him to a lucrative new offer during this season or wait and see how this season unfolds.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli also wonders what the end game will be for Marner. He doesn’t think the Leafs want to let Marner walk next summer but he also doesn’t see them trying to move him at the trade deadline if they’re a 100-point team by then, especially with Marner’s NMC giving him complete control over his situation.

I think Treliving waits until the regular season is over to make his decision. He’ll likely let Marner walk if the Leafs make another early postseason exit.

Fox’s colleague Elliotte Friedman reports it sounds like the Toronto Maple Leafs are shopping Timothy Liljegren. The 25-year-old defenseman has tumbled down their depth chart.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs reportedly looked into peddling Liljegren before signing him in June to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3 million. He’s an expensive seventh defenseman for the Leafs but could be a suitable addition for clubs looking for reasonably-price blueline depth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2024

by | Oct 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2024

Recapping Wednesday’s games, the Kraken sign Joey Daccord to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault turned in a 48-save shutout to blank the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0. Cole Caufield tallied for the Canadiens. Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz stopped 26 shots.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first shutout loss for the Leafs since Nov. 20, 2021. Before this game, the Leafs placed netminder Joseph Woll (lower body) on injured reserve, raising questions about his reliability as their starter this season.

Sidelined Canadiens winger Patrik Laine received a loud ovation from the Montreal crowd during the pregame introductions. The 26-year-old winger is out for two-to-three months with a sprained knee.

The New York Rangers got 29 saves from Igor Shesterkin in a 6-0 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chris Kreider scored two goals, Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist and Jacob Trouba collected two assists for the Rangers. Tristan Jarry made 35 stops for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a complete team victory by the Rangers, getting scoring from their top-six and bottom-six forwards to dominate the Penguins throughout this contest.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had a 30-save shutout to down the Edmonton Oilers 6-0. Mason Appleton had a goal and two assists while Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry collected a goal and an assist each. Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was lifted in favor of Calvin Pickard after giving up five goals on 13 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One could blame the flat-footed Oilers’ loss on the dreaded “Stanley Cup Final hangover.” However, The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman cited inexperience on right defense, a slower lineup, and a penalty kill still working in new personnel for the loss.

Earlier in the day, the Oilers reclaimed forward Raphael Lavoie off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights, who had claimed him off waivers earlier in the week.

An overtime goal by Connor Zary lifted the Calgary Flames to a 6-5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Flames winger Anthony Mantha and Canucks center J.T. Miller each had a “Gordie Howe hat trick” (goal, assist, fighting major) and Canucks winger Brock Boeser tallied twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a wild one as the Canucks jumped to a 4-1 lead in the first period only to see the Flames rally to take a 5-4 lead in the third. Miller, who was playing in his 800th career regular-season game, tied it with 1:37 remaining in regulation, sending the game to overtime and Zary’s game-winner.

Miller also laid a hard hit against Flames forward Kevin Rooney in the first period. A stretcher was called but Rooney left the game under his own power. That led to Mantha and Miller squaring off later in the period, resulting in their fighting majors.

Canucks forward Pius Suter missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 8-4. Ivan Barbashev scored two goals and picked up two assists and Jack Eichel collected four assists for the Golden Knights. Mikko Rantanen tallied a hat trick and Nathan MacKinnon had two helpers for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Alexandar Georgiev’s shaky goaltending and defensive breakdowns led to this ugly loss for the Avalanche. Georgiev gave up five goals on 16 shots before being replaced by Justus Annunen.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed goaltender Joey Daccord to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5 million. He earned that deal with a breakout performance last season, sporting a record of 19-18-11 with a 2.46 goals-against average and a save percentage of .916.

SPECTORS’ NOTE: Daccord, 28, is in the final season of a two-year deal worth an AAV of $1.2 million. It’s a significant raise and could prompt questions about starter Philipp Grubauer’s future with the Kraken. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.9 million and a 10-team no-trade list.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros was in practice yesterday despite being listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He remains uncertain for their season-opener on Thursday against the Dallas Stars.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forwards JJ Peterka (concussion) and Zach Benson (lower-body injury) hope to be in the lineup for their club’s home opener on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings.

THE FOURTH PERIOD: Speaking of the Kings, they’re in line to host the 2025 NHL Draft.