Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 2, 2024

by | Jun 2, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 2, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Rangers? Could the Hurricanes buy out Jesperi Kotkaniemi? Will the Utah franchise become big spenders in this offseason? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton believes signing Igor Shesterkin to a contract extension should be the New York Rangers’ priority this summer. He’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. His career numbers combined with his stellar play in this postseason leave no doubt about what he deserves in his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin will become one of the NHL’s highest-paid goaltenders. The 28-year-old’s current annual cap hit is $5.666 million. He’ll likely get between $9.5 million and $10.5 million annually on his new deal.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Shilton also believes the Rangers must dissect why they can’t get over the postseason hump after falling short in the Eastern Conference Final twice in three years. They changed coaches, acquired high-end players, and were patient with youngsters like Alexis Lafreniere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Florida Panthers play a more physical style than the Rangers. Management could consider bringing more two-way grit into their lineup.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears observed that Lafreniere is also eligible for a contract extension on July 1. Meanwhile, Ryan Lindgren, Kaapo Kakko, and Braden Schneider are slated to become restricted free agents while Jack Roslovic, Alex Wennberg, Blake Wheeler, and Erik Gustafsson will be UFAs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have a projected cap space of $12.1 million for next season with 16 active roster players under contract. Re-signing Lindgren, Kakko, and Schneider will take up most of it, leaving little to retain those UFAs or bring in replacements.

Kakko’s contract situation will be interesting to monitor. The 23-year-old right wing was hampered by an injury this season and held to just two points in 15 playoff games, including a healthy scratch from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. Speculation arose about his future soon followed.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh observed the Rangers still have that persistent hole on the right wing of their first line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That hole will remain unless general manager Chris Drury can find sufficient cap space and the right player to address that need. He could be forced to stick with Kakko and hope that he will have a breakout performance like Lafreniere did this season.

COULD THE HURRICANES BUY OUT JESPERI KOTKANIEMI?

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently mused about whether the Carolina Hurricanes would consider buying out the remaining six years of Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s contract. The 23-year-old center is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $4.82 million.

Kotkaniemi struggled this season, dropping from a promising career-high of 43 points in 2022-23 to 27 points in 79 games in 2023-24. Buying him out now would be at one-third the remaining value over twice the remaining tenure, rather than at two-thirds if he was 26 or older.

The Hurricanes would carry that buyout for the next 12 seasons but the cap hit would be $835,500 per season, except for three years when it drops to $455K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I had mistakenly typed 47 games instead of 79 games for Kotkaniemi this season. My apologies for the error and my thanks to those of you who pointed it out. 

The Hurricanes could consider this if they needed to free up additional cap space this season. However, they’re under no pressure to buy him out and could afford to wait another couple of seasons before going down that road if necessary. Given his youth and potential, they could also attempt to trade him, though they wouldn’t get much of a return.

WILL THE UTAH FRANCHISE BE BIG SPENDERS THIS OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently interviewed Utah general manager Bill Armstrong over his offseason plans following his club’s move from Arizona. They now have deep-pocketed ownership willing to invest in the roster and over $40 million in cap space for next season.

Armstrong doesn’t intend to go on a spending spree. He stressed the importance of making good, healthy decisions that will allow his club to grow without sacrificing the future.

LeBrun believes Armstrong intends to sign unrestricted free agents to one or two-year deals, overpaying a little in salary to get it done. That way, it doesn’t tie up payroll three or four years from now when their younger core players are ready for new contracts. The Utah GM could also use his cap space in the trade market to target cap-strapped clubs looking to shed some salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We probably won’t see Armstrong make a big splash by pursuing a big-ticket free agent or trade candidate. However, it appears he wants to bring in players who can play strong supporting roles for his young talent.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2024

by | Jun 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2024

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the latest on the Stars and Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year, holding off the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final to win the series four games to two.

Sam Bennett opened the scoring in the first period, Vladimir Tarasenko added the insurance goal in the third period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for the win. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers to make it interesting late in the third period while Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots.

The Florida Panthers are the 2024 Eastern Conference champions (NHL.com).

The Panthers posed with the Prince of Wales Trophy when awarded to them at the end of the game but didn’t touch it like they did last year. “We touched it last year and it didn’t work for us,” said Sam Bennett, referring to their five-game defeat at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. “So, we thought we’d try something different this year.”

Bennett and his teammates will get a six-day break as they await the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. The Oilers hold a 3-2 series lead and can wrap things up with a win on Sunday night in Edmonton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers might be hoping to change their luck in this year’s Stanley Cup Final but they didn’t need luck to defeat the Rangers. Their experience, disciplined defensive game, and physical style made the difference in Game 6 just as it had in each of their three previous victories in this series.

The Rangers played better in the last two games but couldn’t mount sustained offensive pressure against Florida. The Panthers snuffed out their power play and neutralized scoring forwards like Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad. They also prevented the Rangers from generating offense from the blueline, though the Blueshirts were hampered in that department with defenseman Adam Fox hobbled by a knee injury.

Shesterkin was outstanding for the Rangers, giving his teammates a chance to win throughout this series whenever they fell behind. However, his teammates couldn’t match the Panthers’ heavy game.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers are on the cusp of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.

Their offense has dominated this postseason. Connor McDavid (29 points), Leon Draisaitl (27), and Evan Bouchard (25) hold the top three positions among this year’s playoff points leaders, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied for fourth with New York’s Vincent Trocheck. Meanwhile, Zach Hyman leads all goal scorers with 13, followed by Draisaitl with 10 goals.

Their defense has a league-leading 46 points in this postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers sit second in goals-per-game average (3.59) and power-play percentage (34.7) only because the Colorado Avalanche ran up big numbers during their five-game opening-round elimination of the Winnipeg Jets. It’s also worth noting that their penalty-killing percentage (93.5) is first overall.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars hope their strong road record will help them in Game 6 as they try to force a seventh and deciding game against the Oilers. They tied with Florida for the most road wins during the regular season (26) and have six road wins in this postseason. They also need scoring from a power play that has gone 0-for-11 in this series.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer said Chris Tanev was sore following Friday’s game against the Oilers but he’s confident the 34-year-old defenseman will be ready to go for Game 6. Meanwhile, Stars blueliner Jani Hakanpaa didn’t make the trip to Edmonton as he recovers from a lower-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak points out Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is poised for a big pay raise. He’s eligible next July to become an unrestricted free agent but the Avs can sign him to an extension this July 1. He will enter the final season of his six-year, $55.5 million contract with an annual average value of $9.25 million.

A comparable is Boston Bruins’ right wing David Pastrnak, who’s in the second season of an eight-year deal with an AAV of $11.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Masisak noted that paying Rantanen $11.75 million on his next contract would be a raise of only $2.5 million annually from his current salary.

The Avs’ offer to Rantanen won’t exceed Nathan MacKinnon’s team-leading $12.6 million. As one of the NHL’s top right wings, he will likely get between $11.5 million and $12 million on his next contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Daniel Alfredsson is leaning toward returning to the Senators’ coaching staff next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne cited The Athletic’s Mike Russo reporting that the Senators didn’t renew assistant coach Jack Capuano’s contract, which expires on July 1. Russo indicated that Capuano could be a contender to join the Minnesota Wild’s coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps ensuring that Alfredsson will be back with the Senators next season.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2024

by | Jun 1, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2024

The potential cost of Travis Konecny’s next contract, the recent trade rumors about Tanner Jeannot, and the Avalanche’s need to go bargain-hunting in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST THE FLYERS TO SIGN TRAVIS KONECNY?

THE ATHLETIC’s Kevin Kurz took to social media on May 26 to speculate over Travis Konecny’s next contract. The 27-year-old Philadelphia Flyers winger has a year left on his current deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million.

Kurz believes the “obvious comparable” is the eight-year, $70.4 million contract Timo Meier signed last year with the New Jersey Devils. “Similar ages, almost identical PPG”, wrote Kurz, adding we can’t ignore how much the Flyers view Konecny as part of their leadership group.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited Kurz’s comparable but expressed concerns about Konecny’s age, pointing out he’ll be 29 when the first season of that extension is complete. He noted that the Flyers would carry that $8.8 million AAV on their books until the winger is through his age 36 season.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images)

“Combine that with the rumored $10 million AAV asking price, and the Flyers could find themselves in serious trouble down the line,” wrote Bailey. He also cited the 5’10’, 175-pound Bailey’s size and physical style of play as areas of concern that could adversely affect his performance over time.

Bailey suggests the Flyers signed Konecny to a five or six-year contract. That would enable him to seek one more big payday if he remains healthy and productive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Flyers management handles Konecny’s contract situation.

If they were a perennial playoff team or a Cup contender, they’d likely sign him to an eight-year extension without any qualms. However, they’re in the middle of a roster retooling as they transition toward younger players.

As Bailey suggests, Konecny might not fit into their long-range plans. If they ink him to a contract comparable to Meier’s, it could become an expensive millstone in the latter half of the deal even with the salary cap projected to be much higher by that point.

WILL THE LIGHTNING MOVE TANNER JEANNOT IN A COST-CUTTING DEAL?

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina recently took note of the trade rumors swirling around Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot. Some observers suggest the 27-year-old winger could be moved to free up salary cap space to re-sign captain Steven Stamkos.

According to Encina,  no concrete reports indicate the Lightning will trade Jeannot. However, he acknowledged that the winger still needs to provide the complementary scoring management was hoping for when they gave up five draft picks and defenseman Cal Foote to the Nashville Predators last season to get him.

Injuries hampered Jeannot’s performance this season. However, his $2.665 million cap hit for next season could make him a player they move to clear cap space for Stamkos.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Depending on how much it costs the Lightning to re-sign Stamkos, Jeannot could be the most likely cost-cutting trade candidate. Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak were also mentioned but they’re too invaluable to move. 

AVALANCHE COULD GO BARGAIN-HUNTING AGAIN

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak pointed out the Colorado Avalanche could be forced to go bargain-hunting again. They lack salary-cap space and face uncertainty over the futures of Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin.

The Avalance successfully signed Zach Parise and Jonathan Drouin to cost-effective one-year contracts. Both players performed well and gave glowing reviews of their tenure this season in Colorado.

Masisak wondered if New York Rangers forwards Jack Roslovic and Alex Wennberg would be good fits with the Avalanche. San Jose Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov could be another.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2024

by | Jun 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2024

The Oilers push the Stars to the brink of elimination in the Western Conference Final, the latest on the Panthers and Rangers on the eve of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers are a win away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final after beating the Dallas Stars 3-1 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, taking a 3-2 series lead.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two power-play goals, Philip Broberg tallied his first career NHL playoff goal, and Evan Bouchard collected two assists for the Oilers. Wyatt Johnston replied for the Stars in the third period.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

The series returns to Edmonton for Game 6 on Sunday, June 2 at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most complete game by the Oilers in this series. They broke through on the power play after going scoreless with the man advantage in the previous four games, stifled the Stars’ offense, and maintained their poise and discipline throughout this contest.

Meanwhile, the Stars continue to have difficulty at home in this postseason. Their best scorers struggled against the Oilers’ defense and they’re still looking for their first power-play goal in this series. This was the first time in this postseason that Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger failed to bounce back with a win following a loss in his previous game.

Dallas defenseman Chris Tanev returned for this game after leaving Game 4 with an injured foot. However, he appeared to be laboring throughout this contest.

Following this game, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer took exception to a reporter’s question about his club’s “lifeless” performance during the second period.

“Listen, there are always things you can do better,” said DeBoer. “You’re going to sit here and question our character if you want, you haven’t been here all year. I’m not going to do it. You go ahead and write whatever the f**k you want.”

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers are a win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year. However, the players’ focus is on defeating the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.

“I don’t think we’ve thought about it at all,” said forward Sam Bennett. “We’ve got business to take care of still. We’ve got Game 6 and our entire focus is on that.”

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and team captain Aleksander Barkov share Bennett’s view. “We don’t think that far,” said Bobrovsky. “Right now, we just need to recover and think about that,” Barkov said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have been in this situation before. That experience should work to their advantage as they prepare to face the Rangers on Saturday evening.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin has been the best goaltender of this postseason, but he needs more support from his teammates to stave off elimination in Game 6, especially from his scorers. They’ve spent too much time in the defensive zone in this series with the Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have dominated the last two games of this series. If the Rangers can’t find a way to break through in Game 6, they’ll be cleaning out their lockers on Monday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild dismissed long-time assistant coach Darby Hendrickson on Friday. An original member of the Wild as a player, he spent the past 14 seasons as an assistant to six different Wild head coaches.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators parted ways with assistant coach Dan Hinote. He was with the club for the past four seasons and was primarily responsible for their penalty kill.

PUCKPEDIA: This year’s restricted free agent offer sheet compensation list was released on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link for the full breakdown. The top compensation is four first-round picks for an offer sheet of over $11.45 million.

DAILY FACEOFF: Scott Burnside is the 2024 winner of the Elmer Ferguson Award for excellence in hockey journalism. Pierre Houde is this year’s recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Burnside and Houde for the well-deserved recognition of their work.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 31, 2024

by | May 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 31, 2024

Check out the latest on Mitch Marner, Linus Ullmark, Martin Necas, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently published his list of trade targets leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft on June 28-29. Follow the link for the complete list. Here’s a look at some of the more notable ones:

Mitch Marner: It’s decision time for the Toronto Maple Leafs to extend the 27-year-old winger’s contract or trade him. He has a full no-movement clause, but if the Leafs won’t extend him, it might be in his best interest to facilitate a move to a preferred destination in his contract year.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby believes Marner would be welcome in many NHL towns despite his hefty $10.9 million salary-cap hit for next season. He suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins (where former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas now resides), Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames and the Utah franchise (Mammoth? Yeti?). Hornby also noted the possibility of Marner remaining with the Leafs.

Meanwhile, The Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos admits to being among those calling for the Leafs to trade Marner but he now feels that’s less of a certainty. He suggests the onus could be on a rival club making an aggressive offer for Marner to move. There’s also the risk of Marner shining elsewhere like Matthew Tkachuk in Florida and Zach Hyman in Edmonton.

Linus Ullmark: The Boston Bruins goaltender could become one of the hottest commodities in the trade market leading up to the draft. Winner of the Vezina Trophy last season, the 30-year-old goaltender lost the starter’s job to Jeremy Swayman. He has a year left on his contract with a $5 million cap hit. Ullmark reminded everyone at his end-of-season interview that he has a no-trade clause for a reason. However, the Los Angeles Kings and Ottawa Senators could be interested.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli’s colleague Matt Larkin included the Kings and Senators on his list of destinations for Ullmark along with the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils.

New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols cited a report out of Boston suggesting the Bruins could seek a first-round pick or a player of comparable value. However, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive indicating Ullmark’s market value remains unknown, suggesting they could also end up with a third-rounder.

Martin Necas: The 25-year-old forward is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He’s made it clear to Hurricanes management that he wants a larger role, which will be impossible with Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis ahead of him on the depth chart. The Vancouver Canucks are among the teams believed to have indicated their interest in Necas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa noted a rumor suggesting a straight-up swap of Necas for Ullmark. However, a league executive believes that would be a mistake for the Hurricanes, swapping a 25-year-old RFA whose best seasons remain ahead for a 30-year-old goalie with a year left on his contract whose best years could soon be in his past.

NYI Hockey Now’s Russell Macias believes Necas should be the Islanders’ top trade target if available this summer. The Hurricanes winger has also been linked to the Montreal Canadiens.

Filip Gustavsson: The Minnesota Wild are willing to entertain trade offers for the 25-year-old goaltender. Marc-Andre Fleury will return next season while promising Jesper Wallstedt is waiting in the wings. The cap-strapped club could free up $3.75 million if they find a trade partner for Gustavsson.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau: Seravalli speculates Islander GM Lou Lamoriello might use some of the additional draft capital he received in a recent trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to package Pageau to another club. The Islanders only have $6 million in cap space. Moving Pageau would clear $5 million annually from their books for the next two seasons.

Jacob Markstrom: The Calgary Flames remain open to moving the 34-year-old goaltender. He has two years left on his contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. With other high-value goalies potentially available this summer (Ullmark, Juuse Saros), the Flames’ best chance to get a quality return might’ve been back at the March trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s rumored the Flames had a deal to ship Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils but it fell through for uncertain reasons. One of them had Flames ownership spiking the deal because the club was still in the playoff hunt at that time.

Following the trade deadline, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated he would be in the market this summer for a starting goaltender. He could still have his sights on Markstrom, provided the netminder is willing to go there.

One St. Louis defenseman: Seravalli believes Blues GM Doug Armstrong will once again attempt to shake up his blueline by peddling Torey Krug, Justin Faulk, or Nick Leddy. He believes there will be interest in Colton Parayko but considers him worthwhile to retain. Parayko has six seasons left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug, Faulk, and Leddy all have full no-trade clauses until July 1, 2025, while Parayko’s runs to July 2028. Armstrong tried to move Krug to the Philadephia Flyers last June but the blueliner nixed the deal. Finding a suitable destination that Krug, Faulk, or Leddy would find acceptable could prove challenging.

Reilly Smith: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ forward frequently appeared in this season’s rumor mill but didn’t draw as much interest as other wingers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That situation might not change this summer. Smith’s performance notably declined this season with the Penguins, hurting his trade value.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2024

by | May 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2024

The Panthers are poised to eliminate the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final, the latest on the Oilers and Stars, the Stanley Cup Final schedule is revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are within a game of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final following their 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell, and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers after Chris Kreider opened the scoring for the Rangers. Alexis Lafreniere got the Blueshirts to within one goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation but they couldn’t get the equalizer before time expired.

The series returns to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday, June 1 at 8 pm EDT.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Florida dominated New York five-on-five for the third straight game. Kreider’s goal came shorthanded but the Panthers successfully killed off all three of the Rangers’ power-play opportunities.

Lundell’s strong all-around play in this postseason is drawing comparisons to teammate Aleksander Barkov.

Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin was once again his team’s best player, kicking out 34 shots and allowing them to get back into the game. Kreider (one goal, one assist) and Zibanejad (two assists) picked up their first points of this series but Artemi Panarin was held off the score sheet. Those three have just one goal between them in this series.

Filip Chytil returned to the Rangers lineup for this contest while Blake Wheeler was a healthy scratch.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Gerry Moddejonge believes this postseason could be Connor McDavid’s best opportunity to win a Stanley Cup with the Oilers. He and his club are two wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final following their convincing 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, tying that series at two games apiece.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moddejonge acknowledges winning this series doesn’t equate to a certain Stanley Cup championship. However, he also points out that losing this series means they’ll have no chance of winning it this year. He believes McDavid’s chances of winning the Cup decrease year by year.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars head coach Pete DeBoer didn’t have a firm return date for Chris Tanev. “He’ll see the doctor, we’ll take some pictures today, and cross our fingers” said DeBoer on Thursday.

The 34-year-old defenseman was seen wearing a walking boot on his right foot as the club returned to Dallas for Game 5 of the Western Conference Final scheduled for Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That doesn’t sound good, though it could also be a precautionary measure. We’ll find out before game time if Tanev will suit up.

NHL.COM: The 2024 Stanley Cup Final begins on Saturday, June 8, at 8 PM ET. Follow the link provided for the full schedule.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If required, Game 7 will be held on Monday, June 24.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin has won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” Slavin previously won the award in 2020-21.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lady Byng Trophy is also sneered at by hockey fans who mistakenly equate “gentlemanly conduct” with a lack of physicality. In fact, it honors players who play a disciplined game at a high level. Recent winners include Anze Kopitar, Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov, and Ryan O’Reilly.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings named Newell Brown as an assistant coach on head coach Jim Hillier’s staff. He has a combined 27 years of coaching experience in the NHL, with his latest being a three-year stint as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks.

TSN: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Mike Yeo was interviewed by Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios for a role with the Senators coaching staff. Yeo spent two years with the Canucks before stepping down earlier this week to pursue other opportunities.