NHL Rumor Mill – September 3, 2024

by | Sep 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – September 3, 2024

​Could the Oilers attempt to get Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid to accept deferred payments on their next contracts? Could that also be an option for the Devils and Dawson Mercer? Would it make sense for the Flyers to pursue Nicholas Robertson? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parsons wondered if the Edmonton Oilers will follow the Carolina Hurricanes’ lead and attempt to use deferred payments with Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid to lower their cap hits.

The Hurricanes recently signed forward Seth Jarvis to an eight-year, $63.2 million contract in which Jarvis will defer part of his annual salary to the end of the contract. Instead of an annual cap hit of $7.9 million, it’ll be $7.42 million.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Draisaitl is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July and could receive an eight-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $14 million from the Oilers. McDavid is eligible for UFA status in July 2026. 

Parsons believes the Oilers could free up considerable cap space if both players agree to defer part of their salaries. He cited a hypothetical scenario by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli in which Draisaitl agreed to defer $33.6 million of his contract to be paid out over 40 years following the completion of the deal.

Draisaitl would receive $80 million over the eight years of his contract in that scenario, lowering the AAV to $10 million. If McDavid’s deal was similarly structured, it could mean almost a combined $10 million annually not counting against the Oilers cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The deferred payment option has been part of the NHL CBA since 2005 but it’s rarely used because players prefer getting paid as much salary upfront as possible. Nevertheless, the Jarvis contract could result in more teams attempting to sign expensive talent to similar deals.

Deferred payments could help the Oilers lower the AAV on new contracts for Draisaitl and McDavid. That would make it possible for the club to put the cap savings toward maintaining a Stanley Cup contender by improving the roster depth.

Selling it that way to both players could be a convincing strategy. However, Seravalli also indicated that it’s uncertain how much of a salary-cap discount the league will allow before this blurs the line of salary-cap circumvention. A 40-year deferral could test those boundaries.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols also wondered if the Devils might attempt to go the same route in their negotiations with restricted free-agent winger Dawson Mercer.

The Devils have just over $4.9 million in cap space for 2024-25. That’s enough to sign the 22-year-old Mercer to a short-term deal worth less than 4 million annually but not enough to lock him up to a long-term contract unless he agrees to defer salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Contract talks between Mercer and the Devils probably advanced too far to toss deferred payments into the equation. Nichols suggests it might be a better option for Luke Hughes. The 21-year-old Devils defenseman becomes an RFA next July.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes acquiring winger Nicholas Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs would make sense for the Flyers.

Robertson, 22, has requested a trade from the Maple Leafs. Bailey thinks Robertson’s youth and skills could make him a good fit for the rebuilding Flyers. He was also a former teammate with Flyers Cam York and Bobby Brink on Team USA’s U20 squad.

Bailey acknowledged the Leafs’ asking price could be an obstacle along with finding a suitable role with the Flyers. However, Robertson is younger and cheaper than most of the current Flyers’ wingers and could become a top-six forward with more playing time in Philadelphia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs general manager Brad Treliving insists he’s not trading Robertson and believes the young winger has a great opportunity to elevate his game this season in Toronto. There’s no indication that the Flyers are kicking tires on Robertson. Still, we can’t dismiss that possibility though it’s likely a remote one.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 3, 2024

by | Sep 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 3, 2024

Brad Marchand’s future with the Bruins, early contenders for the Calder Trophy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ken Campbell points out Brad Marchand’s future with the Boston Bruins has been overshadowed by the recent speculation about teammate Jeremy Swayman’s contract negotiations.

Marchand is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He’ll be 37 by then but could still have value if he scores 30 goals and maintains his effective, pesky style of play.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Once the Swayman saga is resolved, Campbell expects Bruins management to shift their focus to Marchand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand earns an average annual value of $6.125 million on a contract he signed in Sept. 2016 following his then-career-best performance of 37 goals and 61 points.

The Bruins got great value from this deal as Marchand exceeded 30 goals four times and 80-plus points five times, including a career-high 100 points in 2018-19. He became an invaluable core player and became the team captain last fall following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement.

Marchand’s production declined over the past two seasons with back-to-back 67-point performances, though he narrowly missed the 30-goal plateau last season, finishing with 29. Still, he should remain a high-value target in next summer’s free-agent market if he and the Bruins fail to agree to an extension.

There will undoubtedly be mutual interest between the two sides in getting a contract extension done before next July. It’s unlikely Marchand will hit the open market but we can’t dismiss the possibility.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini tops Steven Ellis’ list of this season’s top five early Calder Memorial Trophy candidates.

Celebrini’s teammate Will Smith is also on Ellis’ list, followed by Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, and Dallas Stars winger Logan Stankoven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season’s race for Rookie of the Year honors could be intriguing.

A gifted young forward, Celebrini is the early favorite because he was chosen first overall in this year’s draft. Smith isn’t as well known as the others on this list but Ellis points out that he’s a proven winner, especially at the international level.

Gauthier garnered headlines last season when his refusal to play for the Philadelphia Flyers led to his midseason trade to the Ducks. Michkov is a much-hyped Russian prospect. Stankoven has a leg up on the others given his 24 regular-season games and 19 postseason contests in 2023-24.

SPORTSNET: Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of Johnny Gaudreau, thanked the city of Calgary and the Flames for the memorial outside the Saddledome honoring her late husband.

“Thank you, Calgary,” Gaudreau wrote on his Instagram page. “This is amazing. But I’m not surprised. The best people ever.”

Johnny Gaudreau played most of his career with the Flames before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022. He and his brother Matthew were killed by a drunk driver last Thursday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jaromir Jagr left a heartfelt message for Gaudreau on his Instagram account. The two were teammates in Calgary for 22 games in 2017-18, with Gaudreau assisting on what proved to be Jagr’s only goal with the Flames and his final NHL goal.

DETROIT HOCKEY NEWS: Former Red Wings winger Filip Zadina signed a two-year contract with HC Davos in Switzerland. The 24-year-old was chosen sixth overall by the Red Wings in the 2018 draft but struggled to establish himself as a scoring forward with the Wings and San Jose Sharks.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: A recent report out of Russia claimed a KHL team looked into signing former Flyers goaltender Carter Hart before deciding to stick with their current goalies.

Hart is among five players awaiting trial on sexual assault charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case. He has not played since January and became an unrestricted free agent after the Flyers declined to qualify his rights.

Hart’s co-defendants Michael McLeod and Dillon Dube signed one-year contracts with KHL teams this summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Former Minnesota Wild forward Stephane Veilleux, 42, is on the road to recovery following a life-threatening car crash on June 19.

Veilleux’s vehicle was struck by a teenager driving a Toyota Highland that ran a stop sign and T-boned his Nissan Rogue. He’s been in a halo vest to immobilize his neck to allow his C1 vertebrae to heal.

The former Wild forward is grateful to the team, his former teammates, his best friend, his community, and his ex-wife for their assistance during his recovery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Veilleux for a complete recovery.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 2, 2024

by | Sep 2, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – September 2, 2024

The latest on the remaining notable unrestricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed several noteworthy players still available in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Fox noted Tyler Johnson signed a professional tryout offer (PTO) with the Boston Bruins. He believes the versatile 32-year-old forward has a legitimate shot of adding to the Bruins’ depth at center this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much depends on the outcome of Boston’s contract negotiations with restricted free-agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins have just over $8.6 million in cap space but most of that will go to Swayman.

Former Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie (NHL Images)

Three teams are believed to be interested in former San Jose Sharks winger Filip Zadina. The Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs are said to be among them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadina could make his decision by this week. It’s believed his agent is trying to get him a PTO.

A lack of available young defensemen could make Calen Addison, 24, enticing to teams seeking a right-shot blueliner. Fox noted the Edmonton Oilers could have an opening.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Recent speculation suggests the Oilers are considering more experienced options. Read on…

Fox speculates John Klingberg could land a PTO or short-term offer once he’s fully healthy. The 32-year-old underwent season-ending hip surgery last December.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been nothing new in the rumor mill about Klingberg. That doesn’t mean he isn’t talking to teams. We’ll find out soon enough if a team will take a chance on him.

Recent speculation suggests the Oilers could consider bringing back Tyson Barrie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ve also been linked to puck-moving blueliner Tony DeAngelo and former Oiler Justin Schultz.

Veteran left winger Max Pacioretty has been tied to the Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers in the rumor mill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Detroit Red Wings have also been mentioned as a possible destination for Pacioretty.

Wingers James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Labanc also remain available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet on whether either forward is close to signing a PTO or a contract with an NHL club.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2024

by | Sep 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2024

Clayton Keller looks forward to Utah’s upcoming season, Patrik Laine arrives in Montreal, Dylan Holloway talks about the Oilers’ reaction to his offer sheet from the Blues, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ALLCITY NETWORK: Craig Morgan reports Clayton Keller believes Utah Hockey Club’s offseason additions will push his team in the right direction.

After relocating from Arizona to Utah in the spring, the club bolstered its blueline by acquiring Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole.

Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller (NHL Images)

“All the guys that we traded for and signed are great players and guys that have won Stanley Cups or been in those high-pressure situations,” said Keller. He believes his team is ready to take the next step and wants to win. “I think we’re a fun team to watch.”

The 26-year-old winger looks forward to showing what he can do in postseason competition. “I’ve had some decent seasons, but I haven’t really proven anything really. When you really make the noise is in the playoffs; when you’re in those high-pressure situations.

Keller’s father, Bryan, dismissed rumors claiming his son was upset over moving from Arizona to Utah and wanted a trade. “That’s 100 percent BS”, he said, adding his son “can’t wait” for this season after seeing the excitement and support for the team in their new home state.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keller was his club’s best player over the past three seasons and should continue in the role for the foreseeable future. Utah’s crop of emerging young talent combined with their recent veteran additions should make them a better club this season. Nevertheless, Keller will be looked on to lead the way.

TVA SPORTS: Patrik Laine arrived in Montreal last week to begin skating with his new teammates before training camp starts in mid-September. The Canadiens acquired the 26-year-old winger from the Columbus Blue Jackets last month. He will wear jersey No. 92.

RG.ORG: Speaking of the Canadiens, an opportunity to get a second-round pick from the New Jersey Devils could be dashed because of the conditions in the Jake Allen trade between the two clubs in March.

The conditions state that the 2025 third-round pick the Devils owe the Canadiens would become a second-rounder if Allen plays in at least 40 games this season and the Devils (or another team he’s traded to) qualify for the playoffs.

However, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald indicated his club intends to lean heavily on offseason acquisition Jacob Markstrom as their starting goaltender. It’s unlikely that Allen will reach the 40-game plateau backing up Markstrom.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited former Oilers winger Dylan Holloway claiming his former club was aware of the St. Louis Blues’ intention to sign him and teammate Philip Broberg to offer sheets well before the pair received them.

Appearing on the “Hockey Sense” podcast, Holloway said his camp was trying to get a deal done with the Oilers and wasn’t asking for “anything crazy at all.” He claims they explained to management that an offer sheet was an option but was still hoping to stay in Edmonton. He said it was “weird” how the Oilers handled it, leaving him no choice but to accept the offer.

Holloway said it was bittersweet leaving Edmonton and doesn’t expect to get a warm reception from Oilers fans when he comes to town with the Blues. However, he said his former teammates understood his decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers management hoped no rival club would exploit their salary-cap constraints by signing Holloway and Broberg. They gambled and lost.

THE PROVINCE: Latvia national team goalie coach Arturs Irbe said Arturs Silovs should be fully recovered from his knee inflammation soon enough and ready to start the 2024-25 season with the Vancouver Canucks. Irbe said the inflammation was caused by Silovs overtraining in preparation for joining Latvia for their Olympic qualifier.

OLYMPICS.COM: Speaking of Latvia’s men’s team, they qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics along with Denmark and Slovakia.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen has officially retired as a player to pursue a new career as a player agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Koskinen, 36, was drafted by the New York Islanders in 2009 and played four games with them in 2010-11. He spent six seasons in the KHL from 2013-14 to 2017-18 until joining the Oilers in 2018-19, where he spent four seasons before finishing his career in Switzerland.

Koskinen’s NHL record was 85-60-13 in 168 games with a career goals-against average of 3.01, a save percentage of .906 and six shutouts.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 1, 2024

by | Sep 1, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – September 1, 2024

The Hurricanes signed Seth Jarvis on Saturday but other notable restricted free agents remain unsigned. Check out the latest in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently looked at where things stood with the top restricted free agents still looking for new contracts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was published a day before the Carolina Hurricanes signed Seth Jarvis to an eight-year contract.

Boston Bruins president Cam Neely expressed confidence that his club will get a deal done with Jeremy Swayman during an Aug. 22 interview. The 25-year-old goalie said the same thing during an interview earlier in the month.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

Bruins training camp opens on Sep. 18. They have $8.6 million in cap space to put toward signing Swayman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports last week claimed the two sides were still far apart. One report claimed Swayman sought $10 million annually. However, most pundits believe the Swayman camp seeks an average annual value of around $8.5 million while the Bruins are believed to be offering something “in the $6 millions”.

Fox speculated it could cost the Detroit Red Wings around $8.6 million annually to get defenseman Moritz Seider under contract. That would put the 23-year-old defenseman just under captain Dylan Larkin’s $8.7 million AAV.

As for Seider’s teammate Lucas Raymond, Fox wondered if Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman might opt for a shorter-term contract comparable to the four-year deal averaging $7.875 million annually signed last summer by Raymond’s teammate Alex DeBrincat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings have over $17.6 million in cap space so there’s plenty of room to re-sign those two. Figuring out how much and for how long remains the key issue.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen wondered how much of an effect Seth Jarvis’ new contract with the Carolina Hurricanes will have on Raymond’s negotiations. Both players had similar production last season, with Jarvis netting 33 goals and 67 points with the Hurricanes while Raymond had 31 goals and 71 points.

What could be interesting is whether the Wings attempt to get a lower AAV by getting Raymond and Seider to accept deferred salary as Jarvis did on his new deal. It’s probably too late in those negotiations to shift gears now.

There’s not much to report regarding the Dallas Stars contract talks with Thomas Harley. Fox wondered if Stars GM Jim Nill would attempt to get the 23-year-old defenseman to sign a bridge deal as he did with winger Jason Robertson. On Aug. 9, Nill expressed confidence in getting Harley signed soon.

Turning to center Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said talks were still ongoing as of Aug. 22, expressing optimism that a deal would be done sooner rather than later.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hockey News’ Rob Couch examined whether it would be in the Chicago Blackhawks’ best interest to send the 22-year-old Perfetti an offer sheet.

The St. Louis Blues exploited the Edmonton Oilers’ limited salary cap space, successfully signing away defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway last month. However, the Jets have over $5.7 million in cap space this season, giving them far more flexibility than the Oilers to match an offer sheet. Perfetti could also be reluctant to sign with another club.

Fox cited The Hockey News’ Kristy Flannery reporting on Aug. 19 that Pat Brisson, the agent for winger Dawson Mercer, indicated negotiations were ongoing with the New Jersey Devils.

A short-term, “prove-it” contract could be the most likely outcome for Peyton Krebs. The 23-year-old Buffalo Sabres center has struggled to establish himself as a potential top-six forward. Fox didn’t rule out a trade.

Speaking of a trade, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson still prefers a change of scenery. However, GM Brad Treliving holds the hammer and still believes the 22-year-old Robertson has a great opportunity to become a good player with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson could refuse to sign and report to training camp to force the Leafs into honoring his trade request. That’s unlikely to work in his favor as it’s his only leverage. It will hurt his preparation for this season and also hurt him financially.

Nashville Predators forward Philip Tomasino remains unsigned after coming off a difficult performance for him last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predlines’ Chad Minton pondered what could be behind the lack of progress in contract talks between the Predators and Tomasino and fellow RFA Jusso Parssinen. With just over $3 million in cap space, Minton speculated Predators GM Barry Trotz could be forced to choose between one of them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2024

by | Sep 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 1, 2024

The Carolina Hurricanes re-sign Seth Jarvis, Meredith Gaudreau posts a tribute to her late husband Johnny Gaudreau, the Bruins sign Tyler Johnson to a PTO contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli broke the news on Saturday that the Carolina Hurricanes signed restricted free agent winger Seth Jarvis to an eight-year, $63.2 million contract.

Jarvis’ new contract is structured in a way that Seravalli suggests “may be important business” for the NHL’s other 31 teams. It will have a lower annual salary-cap hit than the typical average annual value (AAV) because the 22-year-old winger was willing to defer salary,

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).

Instead of Jarvis’ AAV being $7.9 million, it will be $7.5 million, a savings of $400K per season. There is a deferred signing bonus payment scheduled for July 1, 2032, one day after his contract expires on June 30, 2032.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia shows the AAV at just over $7.42 million.

According to Seravalli, that payment is technically scheduled for Year 9 of the eight-year contract, meaning there is no Year 9 cap charge to the Hurricanes. The cap hit for the Hurricanes throughout the eight-year deal is charges on what is actually paid out during that time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli goes into greater detail on this subject and I recommend following the above link. He also suggests other NHL clubs could follow suit to reduce the AAV on future major signings.

TSN’s Chris Johnston pointed out that deferred payments have been part of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) since 2005. However, they’ve been seldom used because players typically prefer getting as much money upfront as possible.

Johnston also explains that deferred salary deals lower the cap hit because of the present value of the money calculation. The Year 9 money that Jarvis is paid in 2033 won’t be worth the same value as it is today.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The effect of this could be felt on contract negotiations involving the league’s biggest stars. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Edmonton Oilers attempted to convince Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid to defer salary on their next contracts. The Toronto Maple Leafs could try to do the same with Mitch Marner.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Meredith Gaudreau posted a tribute on Instagram to her late husband Johnny Gaudreau. The 31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets winger and his brother Matthew were killed on Thursday while cycling when they were struck from behind by a drunk driver.

“Thank you for the best years of my life,” Meredith Gaudreau wrote on Instagram. “Despite losing you, I am the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours. I love you so much. You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. 

“You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tributes continued to pour in for the Gaudreaus around the sports world on Saturday. Sports teams across the US and Canada held moments of silence for the brothers. Hockey sticks and Gatorade were left in tribute to them near the New Jersey road where they died.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed unrestricted free agent forward Tyler Johnson to a professional tryout offer. The 34-year-old spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. A 12-year NHL veteran, he broke into the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

UTAH HOCKEY CLUB announced via “X” that they’ve signed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to a one-year, two-way contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates the AAV is $775K at the NHL level. Bortuzzo, 35, is a 13-year NHL veteran who split last season between the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders. He won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports on Aug. 30 that Devils defenseman Simon Nemec was injured on Friday playing for Slovakia in their Olympic qualifier against Hungary. Team doctors said nothing was broken or dislocated and Nemec would undergo further tests on Saturday.

NHL.COM: The league released its US national TV broadcasting schedule on Thursday.

It commences on Oct. 9 with the Florida Panthers raising their 2023-24 Stanley Cup banner before their season-opener against the Boston Bruins. The night also sees the debut of the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City in their season-opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.