NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

by | Aug 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

What’s the latest on Patrik Laine? What’s going on with Mikko Rantanen’s contract extension? Who are the top centers and goalies remaining in the UFA market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON LAINE

TSN: Bryan Hayes and Dave Feschuk talked with Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell regarding his efforts to honor Patrik Laine’s trade request.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Waddell noted that the 26-year-old winger was vocal about a trade way before he took over as GM, indicating there were “a lot of things going on in the locker room”. He admitted it would be harder to bring Laine back knowing the situation but that might be the option if a deal cannot be found.

“We’re into the summer, he’s got a high cap hit for two years, you know,” said Waddell. “I’m talking to teams every day, I got two or three teams engaged right now, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Waddell said he told Laine’s agent that, at the end of the day, if a deal can’t be made, the winger will have to come back to the Jackets’ training camp. He added that they’ll welcome him back and try to make the best of the situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2025-26 plus his on-ice struggles, injury history, and a recent stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program addressing his mental health are significant obstacles.

His contract is the biggest to overcome. A trade is unlikely to happen unless the Blue Jackets retain some salary.

UPDATE ON RANTANEN’S CONTRACT EXTENSION

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal recently cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting there’s growing optimism that the Colorado Avalanche and forward Mikko Rantanen can agree to a contract extension.

Rantanen, 27, is in the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $9.25 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Friedman said he’d spoken with some teams that believe the Avalanche and Rantanen can get something done. Many of them have taken Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl off their UFA boards for next summer because they know that deal will get done. They don’t have any reason to believe that Rantanen’s deal with the Avs will be difficult to get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s in line for a big raise, perhaps exceeding teammate Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million AAV.

Assuming the 2025-26 salary cap is $92 million, the Avalanche will have $21.3 million in cap space with 14 active roster players under contract. They’ll have room to sign Rantanen but it won’t leave much to fill out the rest of the roster.

TOP REMAINING UFA CENTERS AND GOALTENDERS

DAILY FACEOFF: Hunter Crowther recently listed the top five centers and the top three goaltenders remaining in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Nick Cousins tops the list of available centers, followed by Chris Tierney, Rem Pitlick, and Sam Gagner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colin White was also on Crowther’s list published on Aug 11. Two days later, however, he signed an AHL contract with the San Jose Barracuda.

Kevin Lankinen, Antti Raanta, and Martin Jones are the top remaining netminders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2024

by | Aug 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 17, 2024

A poll indicates Red Wings fans are losing confidence in their club’s management, three Predators with the most to prove this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman examined a recent poll indicating Detroit Red Wings fans are losing confidence in the club’s front office led by general manager Steve Yzerman.

Two years ago, the Wings ranked third in The Athletic’s annual survey of front-office confidence. They dropped to 12th in 2023 and are 21st in this year’s ranking.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (NHL Images).

Wings fans aren’t happy with how the club has built the roster and managed its salary cap. They’re also critical of the club’s recent trades and free-agent additions.

Bultman believes Wings fans aren’t jumping ship but are losing faith despite the club’s upward trend in the standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings’ long playoff drought is taking a toll on their fans’ patience. They’ve missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons. That’s the longest drought in the franchise’s history, including the “Dead Things” era of the 1970s and early 1980s.

Yzerman took over as Wings GM in April 2019, by which point the Wings missed the postseason for the third straight year. Their fans were willing to be patient with him because of his great career as their team captain and his success building up the Tampa Bay Lightning into an eventual Stanley Cup champion.

The Wings have steadily improved over the past three years, narrowly missing last year’s playoffs. Nevertheless, the fans are getting restless awaiting their club’s return to playoff contention. Coming up short last season did little to restore their trust in Yzerman’s plans.

Yzerman isn’t in danger of losing his job yet. However, questions could be raised about his future if the Wings come up short this season.

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty lists Tommy Novak, Gustav Nyquist, and Juuse Saros as the three Nashville Predators players with the most to prove this season.

Novak’s production dipped after signing his three-year, $10.5 million contract extension in March, especially during their playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.

Nyquist is coming off a career-high 75-point performance, but the 34-year-old must repeat that output, potentially with different linemates. He clicked with Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg last season but could be moved down to make way for Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault.

Saros must rebound from a sub-par performance last season. He signed an eight-year, $61 million contract extension this summer, making him the fifth-highest-paid goaltender in the league.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros has the most to prove of the three given that huge contract extension. Daugherty believes the Predators will have immediate buyer’s remorse if Saros’ struggles continue.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes hired Tyler Dellow as their assistant general manager.

Dellow spent the past five seasons with the New Jersey Devils as senior vice president of hockey strategy and analytics. He previously spent two seasons (2014 to 2016) as an analytics consultant with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dellow was a lawyer in Toronto who started making his name in hockey analytics in 2006 with his blog mc79hockey.com. He was also a hockey analytics columnist with The Athletic from 2017 to 2019.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 16, 2024

by | Aug 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 16, 2024

What’s the latest on the Oilers’ offer sheet saga? Did Penguins defenseman Kris Letang request a trade to the Canadiens? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE OILERS’ OFFER SHEET SAGA

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying he expects the Oilers will match the St. Louis Blues’ offer sheet to Dylan Holloway but not the one to Philip Broberg.

Speaking with Bob Stauffer of “Oilers Now”, Friedman also believes there’s no way that St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong would’ve signed Holloway and Broberg if Ken Holland was still the Oilers GM. “I do think that…Armstrong’s friendship with Ken Holland absolutely plays a role in how this played out,” said Friedman.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg (NHL Images).

The Sportsnet insider also thinks there’s lingering unhappiness on Broberg’s part over how the Oilers handled him this season. He spent much of this season with their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

Friedman claimed Broberg asked for a trade in December. He doesn’t believe the blueliner changed his mind. He also claimed Broberg sought $1.8 million annually on his next contract with the Oilers before receiving a two-year offer from the Blues with an annual cap hit of $4.58 million.

Staples colleague Jim Matheson pointed out that signing Broberg would give the Blues 10 defensemen on one-way contracts. He believes the young defenseman could replace Scott Perunovich as the Blues’ second-pairing left-side defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of those defensemen is Torey Krug, who could miss this season after being diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch scolded the Oilers for putting themselves in a position where they risk losing two promising young players like Broberg and Holloway to another team via offer sheets.

He believes they should’ve taken a page from the Ottawa Senators’ blueprint with Shane Pinto. Senators GM Steve Staios didn’t waste time signing the 23-year-old center in early July, especially after word got out that Pinto’s agent was shopping around for an offer sheet.

Garrioch claimed the Oilers are trying to trade Cody Ceci ($3.25 million AAV) and Brett Kulak ($2.75 million) to free up cap space to match the offer sheets. He also indicated teams were showing an interest but the Oilers will have to package those players with draft picks like their 2026 first and second-rounders.

The Oilers could also place winger Evander Kane ($5.125 million) on long-term injury reserve if he undergoes surgery for a sports hernia. However, that’s not a given.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are above the cap by over $7.225 million factoring in the new contracts for Broberg and Holloway. That’s how much they must free up to become cap-compliant by their season-opener in October. Trading away Ceci and Kulak won’t achieve that goal if Kane doesn’t go on LTIR. If he does, they must clear cap space for when he returns to action later in the season.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston wondered if the Vancouver Canucks might be one of those clubs interested in Brett Kulak.

Rather than asking for a draft pick along with Kulak, Johnston suggested the Oilers acquire sidelined Canucks defenseman Tucker Poolman. He’s been sidelined with migraines since January 2023 and isn’t expected to play again. The Oilers could place Poolman on LTIR, freeing up $2.5 million to match one of those offer sheets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s an interesting suggestion by Johnston. The Oilers could be considering that type of scenario, if not with the Canucks, perhaps with another club carrying a player on permanent LTIR.

DID KRIS LETANG REQUEST A TRADE TO THE CANADIENS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Conor Tomalty recently cited Pittsburgh radio host Mark Madden claiming he’d heard Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang sought a trade to the Montreal Canadiens.

During an Aug. 5 episode of the “Breakfast with Benz” podcast, Madden said he’d heard “there were discussions to try and bring Letang to Montreal at his request, but nothing came of it.”

Letang, 37, is a Montreal native. However, Tomalty doubted the Canadiens would make this move, pointing out they already have a logjam on defense. Even if they did a defenseman-for-defenseman swap, Letang would take up a roster spot from one of their promising blueliners.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation linked Letang to the Canadiens when he was negotiating his current contract with the Penguins two years ago but he dismissed it, saying he wanted to finish his career in Pittsburgh.

If Letang changed his mind, why would he request a trade from a team starting to rebuild to another club already deep in their rebuilding process? Surely, he’d prefer a move to a contender where he’d have one last shot at winning another Stanley Cup?

All due respect to Madden but I’m not buying that Letang asked to be traded to Montreal. Assuming he did, I don’t believe the rebuilding Canadiens want a 37-year-old defenseman whose best years are behind him with four years left on his contract at an AAV of $6.1 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2024

by | Aug 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 16, 2024

Jeremy Swayman updates his contract negotiations with the Bruins, Milan Lucic hopes to continue his playing career, Tony DeAngelo talks about his fight with former Rangers teammate Alexandar Georgiev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WEEI.COM: Jeremy Swayman has yet to re-sign with the Boston Bruins. However, he believes they will get a deal done.

“There’s a lot of confidence,” said Swayman. “And I say that because I’ve treated it like a business as usual this year.” He said he’s been working out with his Bruins teammates and staff, adding that he felt they’re building something special for this year and he’s excited about that.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

“I know that it will take care of itself with time, and all I can do is control how I’m going to be a better goalie for the Boston Bruins this year. So, that’s all I’m focused on. And I know, again, it will work out, and I couldn’t be happier to be a Bruin.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The St. Louis Blues signing of two Edmonton Oilers players to offer sheets earlier this week has some Bruins observers nervous that another club will attempt to do the same with Swayman.

Anything’s possible but it’s unlikely. Swayman doesn’t sound interested in an offer from another club plus the Bruins have over $8.6 million in cap space this season. They can afford to match an offer for Swayman.

Assuming Swayman would sign an offer sheet, it would have to be an expensive pitch to tempt him and must be unmatchable for Boston.

Anything between $8.7 million and $9.16 million would entitle the Bruins to receive a first, a second and a third-round pick in compensation. Anything between $9.16 million to $11.45 million is two firsts, a second and a third rounder.

Given those high costs, it’s doubtful that a rival team will sign Swayman to an offer sheet.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins winger Milan Lucic hopes to resume his playing career this season. The 36-year-old is currently suspended from the NHL after being arrested for assault and battery against a family member last November.

Lucic pled not guilty and the charges were eventually dropped after his wife, Brittany Lucic, invoked marital privilege and refused to testify. He was placed on indefinite leave following his arrest and the Bruins let his contract expire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucic would require the approval of commissioner Gary Bettman to resume his NHL career.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former New York Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo told his side of the story about his infamous fight with teammate Alexandar Georgiev during a January 2021 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

DeAngelo said he and Georgiev weren’t playing well in that game. As they left the ice, he yelled at the goaltender to “make a f**kin’ save!” Georgiev turned and headbutted the defenseman with his mask, prompting the blueliner to retaliate by swinging his stick at Georgiev’s head.

The altercation spilled over into the dressing room and was quickly broken up by their teammates. DeAngelo said he knew the fight in the tunnel shouldn’t have happened and took responsibility for the incident, saying his remark to Georgiev sparked the fight.

DeAngelo wound up placed on waivers and released by the Rangers. He felt the club could’ve handled it differently but acknowledged most of his difficulties that season were his fault. He also said he and Georgiev patched up their differences and there is no bad blood between them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo played for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021-22 and 2023-24 and the PhiladelphiaFlyers in 2022-23. It’s rumored he could be signing with a KHL club for this season.

TSN: The Washington Capitals brought back winger Jakub Vrana on a professional tryout offer. Vrana, 28, spent nearly five seasons with the Capitals from 2016-17 to 2020-21 until shipped to the Detroit Red Wings at the 2021 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vrana has struggled since leaving the Capitals. He was limited to 26 games in 2021-22 and had a stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program the following season, which included a trade to the St. Louis Blues. This could be his last chance to get his NHL career on track.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Former Canadiens forward Steve Begin announced Thursday that he’s declaring bankruptcy. The 46-year-old confirmed the news on Facebook, saying the civil engineering company he’s invested in since 2013 went bankrupt.

“I could have tried to avoid the subject, but I chose to talk openly about it, because I believe there are lessons to be learned,” wrote Begin. He indicated it’s been a trying and hurtful experience for himself and his family, but he intends to push forward “to carry out great projects despite this ordeal.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks saw the headline on social media and felt Begin’s situation was being exploited by the press. That’s not the case at all. He’s going public about the ordeal and wants to explain what’s happened and what he’s learned from it.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues and the club’s alumni have each donated $5,000.00 to help pay for medical expenses for the brother and nephew of former Blues player Kyle Brodziak.

Ryan Brodziak and his young son Ozzy were walking their dog in their Sherwood Park, Alberta neighbourhood when they were struck by an out-of-control vehicle. Ryan suffered a spinal core injury and multiple fractures to his spine while Ozzy suffered a fractured skull and a fractured left arm. Their dog was taken to an emergency vet for care and is now home with the family.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the Brodziaks.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 15, 2024

by | Aug 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 15, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on John Tavares, more speculation over how the Oilers will counter the offer sheets to Broberg and Holloway, and some suggested offer-sheet targets for the Flyers.

LATEST ON TAVARES

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said that John Tavares no longer wearing the captaincy won’t affect his contract talks. The 33-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Treliving said any talk about Tavares’ contract status will remain behind closed doors. He also believes the veteran center still has plenty of good hockey left in him. Tavares indicated his desire to stay but also said those discussions are private.

Toronto Maple Leafs captains John Tavares (NHL Images).

During his “32 Thoughts Podcast” on Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman felt that a contract extension for Tavares could remain in play. He thinks it’s been discussed and is something both sides are considering.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares turns 34 next month and it’s clear that his best seasons are behind him. He could be effective as a middle-six forward if that’s a role he’s willing to accept to remain with the Leafs. He must also accept a shorter deal and a significant pay cut from his $11 million annual cap hit.

HOW WILL THE OILERS COUNTER THE OFFER SHEETS FOR BROBERG AND HOLLOWAY?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson looked at how the Oilers could counter the offer sheets signed by defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway with the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers have seven days from the date the contracts were signed (Tuesday) to match. Otherwise, both players will belong to the Blues.

The offer sheets push the Oilers above the $88 million cap by over $7.5 million. They could get some cap relief by placing winger Evander Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve if he requires surgery for a sports hernia. However, there’s no guarantee Kane would miss the entire season, meaning the Oilers would have to free up cap room for his return.

Trading defenseman Cody Ceci ($3.5 million) or blueliner Brett Kulak ($2.75 million through 2025-26) are other options. Trading either one could mean attaching a sweetener to the deal.

Broberg has the higher ceiling talent-wise but Holloway’s offer sheet is the easiest to match. Matheson speculates the Oilers will keep Holloway and let Broberg go.

Matheson also brought up the possibility of retribution by the Oilers against the Blues by signing winger Jake Neighbours next summer when he’s a restricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much of Matheson’s piece on the Oilers’ options is a rehash of what he wrote the previous day but it’s still worthwhile to review them.

The Oilers could attempt to sign Neighbours next summer to an offer sheet but that’s unlikely. Neighbours would have to be willing to sign it and he could prefer staying in St. Louis.

More importantly, the Oilers lack the cap space to pull it off. They’ll open the vault to re-sign Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, leaving little money to pursue Neighbours, whose stock will rise if he builds on last season’s promising performance.

Matheson’s colleague David Staples believes the Oilers have a trump card if Kane ends up on LTIR. He cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the 32-year-old winger could be sidelined for months if he undergoes surgery for his sports hernia and/or hip issues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are over the cap by $7.225 million. Kane’s cap hit is $5.125 million. The Oilers would still be over the cap by $2.1 million, meaning a trade of Ceci or Kulak to make the dollars work if they hope to retain Broberg and Holloway.

THREE SUGGESTED OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES FOR THE FLYERS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Blues signing Broberg and Holloway to offer sheets prompted Jonathan Bailey to look at offer sheet targets that could benefit the Flyers in the short and long term. He felt the Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers, the New Jersey Devils’ Dawson Mercer, or the Winnipeg Jets’ Cole Perfetti could fit the bill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A retooling club like the Flyers could go the offer sheet route with one of those three, but it’s unlikely they will.

Beniers, Mercer and Perfetti would have to be receptive to an offer sheet, and it would have to be expensive to pique their interest. The Kraken, Devils and Jets also have more salary cap space to match such offers than the Oilers have with Broberg and Holloway.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 15, 2024

by | Aug 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 15, 2024

The Leafs formally introduce Auston Matthews as their new captain, former Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf joins the department of player safety, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs formally introduced Auston Matthews on Wednesday as their new captain.

Matthews first learned of the promotion from then-captain John Tavares in late July, who spent several weeks discussing the change with Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.

“After he let me know, I told him I was shaking, I got chills,” said Matthews, adding how much of an honor it was to represent the Maple Leafs as team captain.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Matthews appreciated Tavares’ call. “For him to call me and let me know that he wanted to pass the captaincy on to me, it was very emotional. It was a lot of things. It’s truly an honor.”

Treliving said Tavares wasn’t taken aback when approached about handing over the captaincy to Matthews. The Leafs GM could’ve waited another year until Tavares’ contract expired to make the change but felt this was the right time to do so.

Tavares said being Leafs captain meant everything to him and his family and he gave it everything he had. However, he felt Matthews was ready now to take on that responsibility, saying he felt the role would help the Leafs star thrive. Tavares will remain in a leadership role this season as an alternate captain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers wondered if management pushed Tavares out of the captaincy but he and Treliving claimed that wasn’t the case.

It’s not Tavares’ fault that the Leafs won only one playoff round during his captaincy. That blame lies with the current and former management and how they constructed the roster. Nevertheless, Treliving felt a leadership shakeup was necessary.

Matthews will do his best just as Tavares did, but the Leafs won’t be any better unless they sufficiently address their weaknesses in goal, on defense, and among their depth forwards.

Some think the captaincy change means this is Tavares’ final season with the Leafs. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, others speculate having Tavares in a lesser leadership role could make it easier for the Leafs to sign him to a cheaper contract.

Mitch Marner was also in attendance for Matthews’ investiture. Like Tavares, the 27-year-old winger is UFA-eligible next July. He was also the subject of trade rumors following the Leafs’ early postseason exit this spring.

Marner insists he loves being a Maple Leaf. He said he’s focused on the coming season and looks forward to playing for new head coach Craig Berube. However, he offered no hint whether his camp is actively engaged in contract extension talks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner wouldn’t get into his future during Matthews’ big day. Nevertheless, the longer he’s unsigned the more he’ll feature in trade rumors, especially if there’s no extension in place when training camp opens next month.

Speaking of the Leafs, offseason signing Jani Hakanpaa’s future remains murky amid recent reports suggesting a knee injury suffered in March could derail his playing career. The Leafs signed the 32-year-old UFA defenseman to a two-year contract last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Treliving said they were “dealing with this” and expect to have this addressed sooner rather than later. That could be determined when he undergoes his training camp medical next month.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Former Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is joining the NHL’s department of player safety. He spent last season as a player development coordinator with the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I have nothing but respect for Getzlaf given his stellar NHL career. However, I doubt his presence will lead to any great improvement in the league’s player safety department.

TSN: UFA forward Sam Gagner hopes to return to the NHL for his 18th season. The 35-year-old returned to the Edmonton Oilers last season after earning a spot on a PTO in training camp, appearing in 28 games.

Gagner has 529 points in 1,043 career NHL games with the Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.

DAILY FACEOFF: Logan Brown will attend the Tampa Bay Lightning’s training camp next month on a professional tryout offer. The 26-year-old center was the first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2016. He last played in the NHL in 2022-23 with the St. Louis Blues.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Center Colin White signed an AHL contract with the San Jose Barracudas. A 2015 first-round pick by the Ottawa Senators, the 27-year-old White split last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens.

TSN: Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito brought the Stanley Cup on Wednesday to the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers. As a teenager in the 1980s, Zito spent three summers working as a clubhouse attendant for the Brewers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former Quebec Nordiques executive Gilles Leger passed away earlier this week at age 83.

Leger spent 15 seasons with the Nordiques from 1979-80 to 1994-95. He was also a scout for the Edmonton Oilers from 1998 to 2000 and with the New York Rangers from 2000 to 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Leger’s family, friends and associates.