NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2024

by | Dec 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2024

Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has a five-point game, Oilers forward Zach Hyman scores twice in his return from an injury, and the Blackhawks fire head coach Luke Richardson. Get the details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk had a five-point performance (one goal, four assists) as his club recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead for a 7-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Sam Reinhart (one goal, two assists) snapped a 5-5 tie with 1:59 remaining in the third period as the Panthers extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1). Flyers forward Owen Tippett tallied twice within 23 seconds in the second period while teammate Matvei Michkov collected three assists.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

The Edmonton Oilers got two goals each from Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had four assists to move into the top 10 in the points race with 35. Draisaitl had 19 goals, tying Reinhart for the league lead in that category. Cole Sillinger had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman returned to action after missing five games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, there is no timetable for Victor Arvidsson’s return to the Oilers lineup. He’s missed nine games with an undisclosed injury.

A five-goal first period powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to an 8-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point picked up four assists, Brandon Hagel scored two goals, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves for the Lightning. Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks as their three-game streak ended.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a four-point performance from Andrei Svechnikov (one goal, three assists) as they defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3, snapping a three-game losing skid. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist to take over the lead in the NHL scoring race with 41 points, one point ahead of Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon. Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin scored twice.

An overtime goal by Adam Lowry lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Hellebucyk turned aside 28 shots while Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Gabriel Vilardi each collected two points as the Jets ended their four-game losing streak. Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens replied for the Sabres, who are winless in their last five contests (0-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without team captain Rasmus Dahlin, who remains sidelined with back spasms.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored for the second straight game as his club blanked the Nashville Predators 3-0. Samuel Montembeault turned in a 29-save shutout and Jake Evans had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Justus Annunen stopped 27 shots as the Predators have lost six straight games (0-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Montembeault, his selection to Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February had one observer suggesting his inclusion was to appease Hockey Quebec officials unhappy over the lack of Francophones on the team. A Hockey Canada official dismissed this theory, pointing out that the Canadiens goalie backstopped Canada to a gold medal in the 2023 IIHF World Championship. “Montembeault deserves to be there,” said the official.

The Predators played without center Ryan O’Reilly, who is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris tallied twice in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Norris broke a 1-1 tie with 43 seconds remaining in the third period. Linus Ullmark turned aside 19 shots for the win. Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators honored the “Pizza Line” of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley in a pregame ceremony. They were among the league’s highest-scoring lines from 2005-06 to 2008-09. The trio earned their nickname from a promotion by the Pizza Pizza franchise rewarding those attending Senators home games with a free slice if the club scored five goals. It happened so often that the minimum was raised to six goals.

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

The St. Louis Blues nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3 on an overtime goal by Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington kicked out 36 shots and Robert Thomas netted a goal and two assists for the Blues, who are 4-0-1 under head coach Jim Montgomery. Flames blueliner MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist.

Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists to lead his club to a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Fellow blueliner Adam Larsson collected three assists while goalie Joey Daccord stopped 27 shots. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin got the hook after giving up four goals on 13 shots. The Isles have won only twice in their last 10 games (2-5-3).

HEADLINES

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks fired head coach Luke Richardson on Thursday after the club compiled a record of 8-16-2. Anders Sorensen, who was the head coach of the Blackhawks AHL affiliate in Rockford, takes over from Richardson on an interim basis. Blackhawks assistant general manager Mark Eaton takes over the coaching duties in Rockford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks brought in several veterans during the offseason to bolster their roster but the club only seemed to get worse. Franchise player Connor Bedard struggled to score, raising concerns that he could be growing frustrated with the team’s performance.

Speculation over which former NHL coach might take over as the Blackhawks’ full-time bench boss has already begun. Candidates could include Jay Woodcroft, Todd McLellan, Dave Hakstol and Gerard Gallant.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko could be getting closer to his season debut. He’s been sidelined since the 2024 playoffs with a knee injury. On Thursday, Demko told reporters that he felt ready to go. However, he’s not expected to be between the pipes on Friday when the Canucks face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks won’t rush their Vezina Trophy finalist into the lineup. They’ll want to be sure he’s 100 percent before green-lighting his return to action. Nevertheless, it sounds like he’s close to rejoining his teammates.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton will play in his 800th career NHL regular-season game on Friday when his club meets the Seattle Kraken.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jani Hakanpaa underwent a “minor procedure” on his knee but is expected to return to the lineup soon. He’s been limited to two games this season and last played on Nov. 16.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2024

by | Dec 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 5, 2024

Check out the latest on Canucks center J.T. Miller, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Rangers center Mika Zibanejad in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS PRESIDENT WANTS RUMORS ABOUT J.T. MILLER TO STOP

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford wants the baseless rumors swirling around J.T. Miller to stop.

Miller’s been on an indefinite leave of absence from the Canucks since Nov. 19. Johnston indicates he’s “looking to get himself right”, focussing on getting himself mentally back to where he was.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

However, the lack of details over Miller’s absence has prompted speculation suggesting he clashed with head coach Rick Tocchet or doesn’t see eye-to-eye with teammate Elias Pettersson. Some wonder if Miller could be traded to the Boston Bruins or New York Rangers.

Rutherford, however, shot down that speculation. “Don’t start making stuff up on someone in this situation. That’s disrespectful,” he said. He also said that he’s not trading Miller. “We stand by him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s natural to speculate when a player is absent for no specified reason. Nevertheless, those who did could’ve saved themselves the trouble if they had done a bit of research. On Nov. 19, Johnston reported that Miller was trying to play through an injury but the emotional weight of doing so overwhelmed him.

The good news is Miller could return to action soon. He has a roster spot on Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

NO TRUTH TO RUMOR LINKING MALKIN TO THE STARS

THE ATHLETIC’s Rob Rossi took to social media on Wednesday to address a rumor linking Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin to the Dallas Stars. In short, “It’s never happening.”

Rossi writes it felt like he spent “25 percent” of his time shooting down Sidney Crosby trade rumors. “Anyway, take what I said about Crosby – it’s never happening – and apply it to Evgeni Malkin.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shades of “Malkin to the Kings” 16 years ago. The originator of the current Malkin rumor acknowledged the 38-year-old center would have to waive his no-movement clause. As Rossi pointed out, he would have no interest in doing that.

RANGERS GAUGING ZIBANEJAD’S TRADE VALUE

RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico cited an NHL source claiming the New York Rangers are willing to entertain offers for Mika Zibanejad.

Reports emerged last week indicating the Rangers could also entertain offers for veterans like Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider. D’Amico’s source said Zibanejad is “out there for sure”, claiming the Rangers had discussions with a Western Conference team. “They discussed him but I’m not sure there’s a match there. I think it was more the Rangers continuing to gauge his value on the market.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It stands to reason that Zibanejad would’ve been on the Rangers list of veterans who could become trade candidates. His offensive difficulties this season have factored into the club’s recent struggles.

Zibanejad seems the least likely of that trio to be traded based on his contract alone. He’s signed through 2029-30 with a full no-movement clause and an $8.5 million annual average value. Trouba has a year left on his contract ($8 million AAV) and Kreider two years ($6.5 million AAV), with both players carrying 15-team no-trade clauses.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2024

by | Dec 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2024

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored two third-period goals to lead his club to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. William Nylander scored what proved to be the winning goal and Mitch Marner collected three assists. Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Jankowski scored for the Predators, who are winless in five straight games (0-2-3).

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty indicates the Predators are on pace for their worst season in franchise history. “Winning” the offseason by signing three of the summer’s top unrestricted free agents (Marchessault, Steven Stamkos and Brady Skjei) hasn’t translated into wins on the ice thus far.

The Boston Bruins got two goals each from Brad Marchand and Morgan Geekie to double up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. David Pastrnak collected two assists for the Bruins as they extended their win streak to three games. Alex Vlasic and Jason Dickinson replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped four straight.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore tallied twice in a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson each collected two assists. Jackson LaCombe scored the Ducks’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks forward Trevor Zegras left the game early in the second period after injuring his left leg. He had surgery on his left ankle after breaking it in Nashville last year. Zegras will undergo further tests today.

Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler returned to action after missing a month with an upper-body injury. Before the game, they placed blueliner Urho Vaakanainen (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

The Los Angeles Kings erased a 2-0 deficit to nip the Dallas Stars 3-2. Warren Foegele tallied the winning goal and also collected an assist on Tanner Jeannot’s goal which started the comeback. Joel Edmundson also scored and David Rittich stopped 26 shots for the Kings’ fourth straight victory. Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment scored for the Stars as their three-game win streak was ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Stars announced Tyler Seguin will undergo surgery on his left hip this week and will be sidelined for four to six months. The 32-year-old forward had 20 points in 19 games this season.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off were announced on Wednesday. The tournament will be held Feb. 12-20 at the Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston.

Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Cale Makar headline the roster for Team Canada.

Team USA features brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes.

William Nylander, Filip Forsberg and Victor Hedman are among the notable stars skating for Team Sweden.

Team Finland will be led by Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the links above for the full rosters of each club.

Team USA must be considered the favorite to win this tournament. Deep at every position, they will be the dominant club in this series.

Canada has plenty of offensive punch but their goaltending is the weakest among the four teams and their blueline isn’t as deep as the Americans.

The Swedes have solid defensive depth and good goaltending but lack the firepower of the Americans and Canadians.

Finland is strong at the center position and could steal some games if goaltender Juuse Saros rises to the occasion. However, they lack the overall depth of the other three clubs.

As always, predictions are for gypsies and this tournament could have a much different outcome. Nevertheless, I anticipate the Americans will emerge victorious.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild announced defenseman Jonas Brodin (upper-body injury), center Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) and winger Mats Zuccarello (lower body) are listed as week-to-week. Forward Jakub Lauko (lower body) is day-to-day.

CALGARY SUN: Flames forward Justin Kirkland underwent season-ending knee surgery on Wednesday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Utah Hockey Club prospect Tij Iginla underwent successful hip surgery but will miss the remainder of the WHL season. A center with the Kelowna Rockets, the 18-year-old Iginla was chosen sixth overall by Utah in the 2024 NHL Draft. He has 32 points in 21 games this season.

TSN: Discussions between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association over a new collective bargaining agreement will begin in February 2025. The current CBA expires in September 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league and the PA have a contentious history in CBA talks. However, there’s a different vibe this time with hockey-related revenues growing and no serious issues derailing negotiations. It’s a positive sign that they’re opening talks so early, setting up the possibility of an agreement on a new CBA before the expiration of the current one.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2024

by | Dec 4, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 4, 2024

Is a coaching change coming for the Rangers? Are the Avalanche done dealing? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE RANGERS

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports there is no credibility to a rumor that appeared on social media over the weekend linking the Rangers to former NHL coach Joel Quenneville. “There has been no contact between the parties and there will be no contact between the parties.”

Brooks adds the Rangers aren’t going to fire head coach Peter Laviolette. He claims they’re “committed” to Laviolette and won’t bum-rush him out of New York.

New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers may be committed to Laviolette now but that could change if they don’t snap out of their funk soon. Nevertheless, Brooks’ sources within the organization seem adamant that Quenneville won’t be his successor.

Brooks also spoke with Chris Kreider, who was one of two Rangers (Jacob Trouba being the other) mentioned in the infamous “memo” circulated around the league by general manager Chris Drury. The 33-year-old winger dismissed the notion that the trade rumors and outside noise have affected the club’s performance, saying he and his teammates put plenty of pressure on themselves to play better.

Kreider insisted he and his teammates must work through their current slump and come out better on the other side.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Few observers believe the Rangers can move Kreider or Trouba at this stage in the season, and certainly not for a return that immediately improves their roster.

Kreider may believe Drury’s “memo” hasn’t put extra pressure on the Rangers. As Brooks points out, it hasn’t sat well with the players.

COULD THE AVALANCHE HAVE MORE MOVES IN STORE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Tyler Yaremchuk and Colby Cohen believe the Colorado Avalanche might not be done dealing after shipping goaltender Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for backup Scott Wedgewood on Saturday.

Cohen pointed out that the Avalanche are a “win now” team. He thinks they could be in the market for a centerman and doubts they’ll continue with Ivan Ivan and Parker Kelly as their third and fourth-line centers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche won’t be the only club in the market for a center. The Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators have made no secret that they’re looking for one while the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks need help at that position. The Toronto Maple Leafs could end up in the market for a third-line center before the March 7 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

by | Dec 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

The Avalanche overcame a four-goal deficit, the Minnesota Wild took over first place in the overall standings, Patrik Laine scored in his debut with the Canadiens, the Flames honor Johnny Gaudreau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected an assist while Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots after replacing Alexandar Georgiev in the Avalanche net. Tage Thompson tallied two goals for the Sabres.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche acquired Wedgewood on Saturday to add more experienced depth behind Georgiev, who continues to battle inconsistency this season. Georgiev got the hook after giving up four goals on eight shots. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin left this game because of back spasms in the third period.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, vaulting the Wild into sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 38 points. Frederick Gaudreau and Jake Middleton also scored and Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 shots as the Wild extended their win streak to four games. Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk replied for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also set a franchise record for the most points in their first 25 games of the season. Center Joel Eriksson Ek left the game in overtime with an injured right leg. There was no postgame update about his condition

Kaprizov has 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 24 games. He’s tied with MacKinnon and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas in points but leads the league in that category because he’s scored more goals and has a league-leading 1.63 points per game.

The Canucks played without defenseman Filip Hronek, who will be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing a non-surgical lower-body procedure.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored in his season debut and teammate Nick Suzuki scored in overtime to beat the New York Islanders 2-1. Sam Montembeault got the win with a 30-save performance. Anders Lee scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine suffered a knee injury during preseason that kept him out of the lineup for the opening two months of the season. He was touched by the reception he received from the Bell Centre crowd.

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar made 16 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on the night the Flames honored the late Johnny Gaudreau in the first game in Calgary between the two teams. Rasmus Andersson, Kevin Bahl, and Yegor Sherangovich were the goal scorers. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 shots for the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau began his NHL career in Calgary, spending nine seasons with the Flames before signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022. An alleged drunk driver killed him and his brother Matthew on Aug. 29.

Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch after scoring one goal and nine points in 25 games. He was held scoreless in his previous nine games.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, handing the Jets their fourth straight defeat. Dylan Holloway and Robert Thomas also scored for the resurgent Blues, who are 3-0-1 since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach. Mark Scheifele tallied for the slumping Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss knocked the Jets out of first place in the Western Conference standings. After bursting from the gate with a 17-3-0 record, the Jets have dropped five of their last six contests. Before the game, the Jets announced winger Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 29 and recalled forward Brad Lambert.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, handing the latter their third straight loss. Jaden Schwartz and Yanni Gourde each had a goal and an assist and Matty Beniers collected two assists. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill had a 28-save shutout and Ivan Barbashev scored the only goal to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Stuart Skinner stopped 15 shots for the Oilers, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first regular-season game in over 80 years ending with zero penalties and one goal or fewer scored. The last time that happened was Feb 20, 1944, between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 4-1 lead but defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who’ve won four straight games (26 points) and sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk scored two goals and collected two assists to pass the 600-point mark in his NHL career.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha scored in overtime to nip the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Nikita Zadorov and Justin Brazeau also scored for the Bruins and Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves for the win. Lucas Raymond scored both goals for the Red Wings.

An overtime goal by William Eklund carried the San Jose Sharks to a 2-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. Tyler Toffoli also scored for the Sharks as Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 27 shots. Nic Dowd replied for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks (25 points) have won three straight games and four of their last five, moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains sidelined recovering from a broken left fibula. He was off to a great start before the injury with 15 goals in 18 games. RG.org’s Sergey Demidov cited a source close to Ovechkin attributing the left winger’s performance to a 33-pound weight loss (“from 258 to 225 pounds”) during the offseason.










NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2024

by | Dec 3, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 3, 2024

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Panthers and Hurricanes in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW WILL THE OILERS IMPROVE THEIR BLUELINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell cited Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman saying he’d like to add a defenseman later this season during a recent interview with Daniel Nugent-Bowman.

Mitchell suggested Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres and J.J. Moser of the Tampa Bay Lightning as trade options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jokiharju might be available if the Sabres are out of playoff contention at the March 7 trade deadline. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Moser isn’t going anywhere. He’s signed through next season with an average annual value of $3.375 million and currently skates alongside Victor Hedman on the Lightning’s top defense pairing.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: A reader asked Jim Matheson if there was anything to the speculation suggesting Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard could land with the Oilers by the trade deadline.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (NHL Images).

Matheson believes the Oilers would prefer Savard’s teammate Mike Matheson, provided the Canadiens retained part of his $4.875 million AAV because he’s a better puckmover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matheson has surfaced in the rumor mill as the Canadiens are once again among the bottom feeders in the standings. Habs GM Kent Hughes will want a a first-round pick or a top prospect as part of a package deal, especially if the inquiring team wants him to retain part of Matheson’s salary.

DAILY FACEOFF: Jason Gregor noted that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has frequently popped up in trade rumors. However, he’s torn on the big Finn because of his consistency with his decision-making. Gregor also mentioned Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames, but considers the odds of the Oilers landing him are “pretty much zero.”

UPDATES ON THE PANTHERS AND HURRICANES

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports the Florida Panthers have had internal discussions about tweaking their blueline between now and the March 7 trade deadline. “They don’t have much cap space, so they’ll have to be creative.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Puckpedia shows the Panthers with $1.69 million in current cap space but could have over $5.4 million by March 7. That should provide sufficient wiggle room for GM Bill Zito to get creative in the trade market.

LeBrun reports the Carolina Hurricanes signing Dustin Tokarski on Monday doesn’t take them out of the goalie market. He believes they could act at any time if a goalie becomes available who slots ahead of Spencer Martin and Tokarski. They’ll also want to see how Frederik Andersen performs when he returns from his recent knee procedure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There aren’t many options currently available which explains the signing of Tokarski. They’re fine with Pyotr Kochetkov as their starter but want to ensure they’ve got sufficient depth in case injuries strike again.