NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2024

by | Apr 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 18, 2024

The Coyotes win their final game in Arizona, Nikita Kucherov reaches 100 assists, the Stars clinch first in the Western Conference, the Canucks will face the Predators in the first round, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes won their final game before relocating to Salt Lake City by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist and Connor Ingram made 28 saves as the Coyotes received a standing ovation at the end of the game from 4,600 fans at the sold-out Mullett Arena in Tempe. Warren Foegele tallied his 20th goal of the season for the Oilers, who are still waiting to find out who their opponent will be in the first round of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a bittersweet game for the Coyotes and their fans as plans to relocate to Salt Lake City could be officially announced as early as today. Former Coyotes captain Shane Doan attended the game and received his retirement banner from a fan who recovered it from the club’s former arena, now called the Desert Diamond Arena.

The Oilers will face the Los Angeles Kings or the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round. Both teams are playoff bound with the Golden Knights (98 points) holding a one-point lead over the Kings. They’re playing their final games of the regular season on Thursday.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season in a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kucherov also tallied his 44th goal of the season. Leafs center Auston Matthews was held off the score sheet and finished the season with 69 goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning will meet the Florida Panthers in the first round while the Leafs face the Boston Bruins.

With 144 points, Kucherov has practically sewn up the Art Ross Trophy as this season’s points leader. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is six points behind as he and his teammates face off against the Edmonton Oilers in their final game of the regular season.

Kucherov is also the second player this season to reach the 100-assist plateau, joining Oilers captain Connor McDavid. It’s the first time two players have collected that many assists in a season since Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux each had 114 in 1988-89.

A shootout goal by Jason Robertson lifted the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. The Stars clinched first place in the Western Conference with a record of 52-21-9 (113 points). Their win also means the Vancouver Canucks will face the Nashville Predators in the opening round of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Oilers, the Stars are waiting to find out if they’ll face the Golden Knights or Kings.

The New York Islanders won their final game of the season by holding off the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4. Ilya Sorokin kicked out 40 shots while Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists to finish the season with 94 points. Following the game, Penguins forward Jeff Carter announced his retirement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round. Isles forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau suffered a lower-body injury in the first period and didn’t return.

Carter, 39, played 19 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings and the Penguins. In 1,321 regular season games, he tallied 442 goals and 409 assists for 851 points, including 11 seasons with at least 20 goals. Carter also had 47 goals and 84 points in 133 playoff games, helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The schedule for the first games of the Eastern Conference clubs in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs was released on Wednesday.

The Islanders and Hurricanes face off on Saturday, Apr. 20 at 5 pm ET followed by the Maple Leafs and Bruins at 8 pm ET.

Sunday sees the Lightning and Florida Panthers face off at 12:30 pm ET. The Washington Capitals square off against the New York Rangers at 3 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The King Clancy Trophy nominees were released on Wednesday. The award honors the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.

The 32 nominees include Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canuck defenseman Quinn Hughes, Colorado Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar, Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the 32 nominees. You can see the complete list by following the link provided above.

SPORTSNET: The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. It will be Fleury’s 21st NHL season and he confirmed it will be his last.

ROTOBALLER: New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier said he dealt with a double MCL injury in his knee early in the season. He also suffered an oblique injury later in the campaign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those injuries might explain why Meier’s production dropped from 68 points in 78 games in 2022-23 to 52 points in 69 games this season.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have exercised their two-year option on head coach Martin St. Louis’ contract. He has a season remaining on his current deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2024

by | Apr 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 17, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Penguins and Sabres? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE PENGUINS?

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel listed nine pressing issues the Penguins must face after missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Vensel doesn’t see head coach Mike Sullivan losing his job, especially as his most recent contract extension doesn’t begin until next season. However, his staff could undergo some changes, especially given the club’s struggles on the power play this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN.com’s Kristen Shilton believes the Penguins could consider a coaching change. Just because a coach has a contract extension doesn’t mean he can’t be replaced. Just ask Don Granato, the former bench boss of the Buffalo Sabres. 

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Team captain Sidney Crosby is expected to sign a contract extension, perhaps a two-year, team-friendly deal. Core players such as Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust aren’t going anywhere. Neither is Erik Karlsson, whose contract could prove unmovable even if management wanted to move him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has repeatedly said he wants to finish his career with the Penguins. It’s expected he’ll sign a two or three-year extension with an average annual value of $10 million.

Malkin, Letang, Rust and Karlsson have full no-trade protection. There were some idle musings among some pundits suggesting Karlsson might welcome a return to the Ottawa Senators but he quickly slapped down that notion last month.

Vensel doesn’t rule out Jake Guentzel returning to the Penguins as a free agent this summer. However, his smashing success with the Carolina Hurricanes could see him approach the UFA market with an open mind. The Penguins would have to shed some salary to bring him back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas wanted to keep Guentzel he would’ve re-signed him instead of shipping him to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline. He’s not coming back.

Trade candidates include wingers Reilly Smith, Rickard Rakell, Lars Eller and Noel Acciari. Vensel doesn’t see anyone touching Ryan Graves’ contract this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Smith will draw the most interest in this summer’s trade market. It’s doubtful they’ll find many suitors for Rakell. His stats tumbled this season and he has four years left on his contract with an AAV of $5 million.

Vensel also wondered about goaltender Tristan Jarry’s future in Pittsburgh after Sullivan turned to backup Alex Nedeljkovic down the stretch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another Penguin who had an inconsistent performance with lots of years remaining on a contract with a cap hit over $5 million. Good luck moving him.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE SABRES?

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Jason Moser reports Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams will seek an experienced NHL coach to replace Don Granato, who was fired as their head coach on Tuesday.

Moser noted there are plenty of candidates available. They include Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Jay Woodcroft, Dean Evason, D.J. Smith, Lane Lambert, Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant and former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Berube could be the most sought-after coach, having guided the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019.

WGR 550: Howard Simon believes the Sabres also need to bolster their offense after their production declined this season as more emphasis was placed on improving their defensive play. They traded away center Casey Mittelstadt in March and brought in defenseman Bowen Byram.

Simon doesn’t see that offensive help coming via this summer’s free-agent market. He believes Adams must draw on his deep pool of young talent on his current roster and in his farm system along with draft picks to find more NHL scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur with Simon. The Sabres defense is better and deeper now and their goaltending stabilized as this season went on. Adding an experienced scorer with leadership abilities could provide the boost they were missing this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2024

by | Apr 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2024

The Capitals clinch the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, the Canucks and Panthers claim the final two division titles, the Sabres fire head coach Don Granato, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals are heading to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. TJ Oshie’s empty-net goal late in the third period was the game-winner for the Capitals (40-31-11) as they clinched the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 91 points. Alex Ovechkin scored his 31st goal of the season for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers pulled their goalie late in the third because they needed a regulation win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Speaking of regulation wins, that was the margin of victory of the Capitals, whose 32 regulation victories punched their ticket to the postseason. They’ll face the New York Rangers in the opening round.

A shootout goal by Patrick Kane lifted the Detroit Red Wings to their second-straight 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens but the Capitals win eliminated them from playoff contention. Daniel Sprong had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (41-32-9), who missed the postseason for the eighth straight season. Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist to finish the season with 20 goals and 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings’ struggles through March doomed their playoff chances. The idle Pittsburgh Penguins were also eliminated from postseason contention.

Before this game, Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman announced his retirement. He’d been sidelined for the season by lumbar disc problems. The 34-year-old blueliner had 20 goals, 58 assists and 78 points in 291 career games with the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and the Canadiens.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

A four-goal second period lifted the Florida Panthers over the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Sam Reinhart scored twice to finish the season with 57 goals as the Panthers (52-24-6) clinched the Atlantic Division title with 110 points. Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was held off the score sheet and remains one goal shy of 70 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ first-round opponent will be the Tampa Bay Lightning while the Leafs will meet the Boston Bruins. Matthews will get one more shot at reaching the 70-goal plateau when the Leafs face the Lightning on Wednesday.

The Vancouver Canucks downed the Calgary Flames 4-1 to clinch the Pacific Division title. Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko kicked out 39 shots in his first game back from a knee injury while Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist for the 50-22-9 Canucks (109 points).

A 22-save performance by goalie Logan Thompson gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Michael Amadio scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Golden Knights (45-28-8) as they moved into third place in the Pacific Division with 98 points. Jason Dickinson replied for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights hold a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings. Both clubs are playoff-bound and each has a game left to decide their final placement in the Western Conference postseason standings. Vegas forwards Chandler Stephenson and Anthony Mantha (day-to-day) missed this game with undisclosed injuries.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor tallied twice in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Nikolaj Ehlers and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the 51-24-6 Jets (108 points) as they secured second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Yanni Gourde had a goal and an assist for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Morgan Barron left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators finished their season by beating the Boston Bruins 3-1. Jakob Chychrun tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Senators. The loss cost the Bruins the opportunity to clinch the Atlantic Division title.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Before the game, broadcaster Jack Edwards announced his retirement at the end of the postseason. He’s been the Bruins’ play-by-play man on NESN for 19 seasons.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice and collected two assists in a 6-3 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Blue Jackets rookie forward Luca Del Bel Belluz scored in his NHL debut. Teuvo Teravainen scored twice for the Hurricanes, who’ll face the New York Islanders in the opening round of the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast left this game in the second period after being cross-checked in the back by Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson, causing him to tumble awkwardly into the boards. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres fired head coach Don Granato on Tuesday. With a record of 39-37-6, the Sabres finished sixth in the Atlantic Division and missed the playoffs for a league-record 13th straight season. The Sabres will seek their sixth head coach since 2013.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granato signed a two-year contract extension last year that begins next season. I’ll have more about the Sabres’ coaching situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: The NHL announced it set a single-season attendance record of 22, 560, 634 in 2023-24 with 18 games remaining in its schedule. It claimed its arenas have averaged 97 percent capacity. Revenue for this season is projected to reach a record-high of $6.2 billion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks could receive the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft as part of the return from last summer’s Erik Karlsson trade. The pick is top-10 protected and the Penguins could go into next month’s trade lottery in either the 13th or 14th overall spot. Unless the Pens win the lottery and move up into the top 10, that pick will belong to the Sharks.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 16, 2024

by | Apr 16, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 16, 2024

More speculation about the Penguins goaltending plus the latest on the Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

QUESTIONS PERSIST OVER PENGUINS GOALTENDING

THE ATHLETIC: Rob Rossi believed Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas must fix his goaltending during the offseason, even if it means making a bad trade to shed Tristan Jarry’s contract.

Rossi noted that Jarry isn’t playing to the level expected when Dubas signed him last summer to a five-year contract with an annual cap hit of $5.375 million. The 28-year-old netminder lost the starter’s job down the stretch to Alex Nedeljkovic. Jarry has struggled with consistency throughout his NHL career.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

Promising Joel Blomqvist is ready for his shot in the NHL. Rossi believes he should get it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry did well during the first half of the season making Dubas look smart for re-signing him. However, the decline in his performance over the second half can’t be ignored.

It could take a bad trade to shed Jarry’s contract. Dubas will have to retain up to half of his cap hit, package him with one of the few good young players in the Penguins’ prospect pool, or take back a toxic contract as part of the return. Jarry’s 12-team no-trade clause further complicates things.

I’m not saying it’s impossible but it will be a daunting challenge for Dubas.

LATEST ON THE SHARKS

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reported Sharks head coach David Quinn is excited about the possibility of his club winning this year’s draft lottery and the right to select top prospect Macklin Celebrini.

Quinn also wants his team to be harder to play against next season. He’d like to add more hardness and grit to the lineup.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka believes the Sharks need to gain an identity, something they’ve lacked since 2018-19 when that roster’s high-octane offense nearly led them to the Stanley Cup Final.

Pashelska agreed with Quinn’s remarks. He noted that the Sharks have sufficient salary-cap space to bring in players who can assure this club doesn’t get pushed around next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quinn’s remarks suggest the direction the Sharks could take with their roster during the offseason. They are rebuilding and adding promising young skill players. However, those youngsters could flourish by surrounding them with experienced depth and grit.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2024

by | Apr 16, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2024

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a historic assist milestone, the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy, the Islanders clinch a playoff spot, and the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins remain in the race for the final Eastern wildcard berth. Details and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected his 100th assist of the season in a 9-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Adam Henrique, Darnell Nurse and Dylan Holloway each had three assists for the Oilers (49-25-6) as they sit ninth in the overall standings. Fabian Zetterlund scored his 23rd of the season for the Sharks.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid joins Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season. It’s the first time an NHL player has reached that milestone since Gretzky in 1990-91.

Oilers winger Evander Kane missed this game with a minor injury. San Jose forwards Kevin Labanc, Mike Hoffman and Alexander Barabanov remain sidelined for the remainder of the season. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer and have likely played their final games for the Sharks.

The New York Rangers are this season’s winner of the Presidents’ Trophy for the best NHL record after blanking the Ottawa Senators 4-0. Igor Shesterkin turned in a 26-save shutout and Artemi Panarin netted his 49th goal of the season for the 55-23-4 Rangers, who finished the season with 114 points. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth time the Rangers have won the Presidents’ Trophy with their previous win coming in 2014-15. Their 55 wins and 114 points are franchise records.

Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. The Isles (38-27-16) clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points and will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Timo Meier scored his 28th goal of the season for the Devils.

Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren had a 16-save shutout in a 2-0 upset of the Boston Bruins. John Carlson and Nic Dowd were the goal scorers as the Capitals improved to 39-31-11 to hold the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 89 points. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 23 shots for the Bruins, who sit fourth overall with 109 points.

The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on an overtime goal by Lucas Raymond, who also scored the tying goal. J.T. Compher also scored twice for the 40-32-9 Red Wings (89 points) as they sit behind the Capitals in the standings. Brendan Gallagher scored two goals while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist in his first game with the Canadiens.

Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist to double up the Nashville Predators 4-2. With a record of 38-31-12, the Penguins also have 88 points in the race for the final Eastern wildcard. Predators winger Filip Forsberg netted his 48th goal of the season as his club finished the season with 99 points (47-30-5). They already qualified for the playoffs but missed an opportunity to clinch the first Western Conference wildcard spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators can still secure that first wildcard if the Vegas Golden Knights lose one of their final two games. The Golden Knights have also qualified for the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins have one game each remaining in their respective schedules. The Capitals face the Philadelphia Flyers while the Red Wings and Canadiens square off again tonight. The Penguins meet the Islanders on Wednesday.

The Buffalo Sabres finished their season with a 4-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Dylan Cozens tallied twice for the Sabres. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored both of his club’s goals to reach 40 on the season while teammate Nikita Kucherov picked up his 99th assist. The Lightning have already clinched a playoff berth and hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 96 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov will get his chance to become the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season in his club’s season-ending game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. With 142 points, he has a four-point lead over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Blake Lizotte scored for the Kings (43-27-11), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, and Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Apr. 14.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers signed general manager Bill Zito to a multi-year contract on Monday. His current deal will expire at the end of next season. Zito also takes over as the Panthers’ president of hockey operations.

During Zito’s tenure, the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs for four straight years, including this one. They won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2021-22 and reached the Stanley Cup Final last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito overhauled the Panthers’ roster with only four players (Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky and Eetu Luostarinen) remaining from the lineup that began the 2020-21 season. He’s added Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Gustav Forsling.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko returns to action on Apr. 16 to face the Calgary Flames. Demko missed the last 14 games with a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have two games remaining in their schedule, allowing Demko time to return to form before the playoffs begin this weekend.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann will miss his club’s final two regular-season games with a lower-body injury. Teammate Max Domi will miss Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers and could miss their finale on Apr. 17 against the Lightning.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets signed prospect forward Gavin Brindley to a three-year entry-level contract. He’ll make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2024

by | Apr 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2024

Where could Steven Stamkos go if he and the Lightning part ways this summer? Could the Canadiens attempt to trade Mike Matheson in the offseason? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill. 

POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR STEVEN STAMKOS AS A FREE AGENT

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston and Joe Smith recently examined what comes next for Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning following this season. 

In the final season of his eight-year contract, Stamkos has spent his 16-season NHL career in Tampa Bay. The 34-year-old Lightning captain’s production has declined but he remains a point-per-game player. 

Stamkos raised eyebrows last September when he expressed disappointment over a lack of contract extension talks last summer. General manager Julien BriseBois insisted he wants to re-sign his captain and have him finish his career with the Lightning. 

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Johnston and Smith believe Stamkos will draw plenty of suitors if he heads to free agency. The Florida Panthers (the Lightning’s in-state rivals) have been known to swing big. Stamkos could fit in well with the Nashville Predators alongside former Lightning teammates Ryan McDonagh and Luke Schenn. 

Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn said his team has plenty of cap space and he’ll start recruiting his former teammate if the Lightning don’t re-sign him. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect Stamkos and the Lightning will work something out that keeps him in Tampa Bay for the remainder of his NHL career. Nevertheless, we can’t discount the possibility that he hits the open market on July 1. 

I don’t see Stamkos signing with the Panthers nor do I expect they’ll pursue him. They’re focused on re-signing Sam Reinhart, eating up a big chunk of their projected cap space of $20 million. 

The Predators would have more cap flexibility as they don’t have any big-name players to re-sign this summer. Goaltender Juuse Saros has been the subject of trade rumors and moving him would free up more space. Still, adding a star in his mid-thirties might not be what the Predators have in mind at this stage. I could see it if they were poised to be a Stanley Cup contender.

As for the Ducks, they could easily afford Stamkos but he might not be keen to join a rebuilding club at this point in his career. 

Since we’re just spitballing here, how about Stamkos signing with the Salt Lake City Coyotes? Or whatever name they’ll be called. They’ve got lots of cap room, he would be their most well-known player and an excellent leader for a team brimming with young talent looking to take the next step. 

LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan was asked what the return would be for the Canadiens to part with Mike Matheson. He replied he’d be shocked if GM Kent Hughes moved the 30-year-old defenseman, who has two seasons remaining on his contract at a reasonable cap hit of $4.875 million. 

Matheson plays a leadership role with the rebuilding Canadiens. With 51 assists, he’s only the sixth defenseman in franchise history to net 50 assists in a season. Cowan believes they need his veteran presence on their blueline. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. I understand why some Canadiens fans believe their rebuilding club should peddle Matheson while his trade value is high. However, Cowan is correct in his assessment of Matheson’s invaluable leadership and experience that he brings to the young Canadiens defense corps. 

Cowan was also asked about “a certain TSN insider” speculating Columbus Blue Jackets presence John Davidson might reach out to Jeff Gorton to see if he’d be interested in becoming president/GM of the Blue Jackets. Gorton is the Canadiens executive VP of hockey operations. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gorton is under contract with the Canadiens until 2026. He’d need the blessing of team owner Geoff Molson to speak with the Blue Jackets. I don’t see Molson doing that. For that matter, I doubt that Gorton is interested in leaving the Canadiens.