NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2024

by | Apr 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 3, 2024

The Islanders, Penguins and Sabres keep their playoff hopes alive, David Pastrnak reaches a Bruins’ scoring milestone, the three stars and rookie of the month for March are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom gave the New York Islanders a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The goal was Horvat’s 31st of the season for the 33-27-15 Islanders (81 points) as they moved to within one point of Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Petr Mrazek made 27 saves for the 22-48-5 Blackhawks.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each tallied twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied for five goals in the third period to defeat the New Jersey Devils 6-3. The Penguins improved to 34-30-11 (79 points) and sit three points behind the Capitals. Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt each scored their 25th goal of the season for the Devils as they fell to 36-35-4 and dropped six points back of the Capitals.

Speaking of the Capitals, they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. JJ Peterka scored twice and collected an assist while Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who moved to 36-35-4 (77 points) and are five points behind Washington. Dylan Strome netted his 26th goal of the season for the 36-28-10 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Jeff Skinner played his 1,000th NHL game. Teammate Jordan Greenway missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark turned in a 31-save shutout to blank the Nashville Predators 3-0. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (44-17-15), who sit third in the overall standings with 103 points. Juuse Saros turned aside 29 shots for the 43-28-4 Predators, who hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot (90 points) but have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak became the first Bruin since Adam Oates in 1992-93 to have at least 35 multi-point games in a season. With 46 goals, he’s also on pace to become the third player in franchise history with multiple 50-goal seasons, joining Phil Esposito (five) and Cam Neely (three).

The Vegas Golden Knights rode a four-goal first period to a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks, extending their points streak to seven games. Jonathan Marchessault tallied his 41st goal of the season and picked up two assists as the Golden Knights improved to 42-25-8. With 92 points, they’re third in the Pacific Division. Quinn Hughes scored two goals for the Canucks (46-21-8), who sit fifth overall with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov was ejected from this game for boarding Vegas forward Brett Howden during the first period.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, trade deadline acquisition Tomas Hertl joined practice on Tuesday as a full participant. The 30-year-old center is recovering from knee surgery. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy hinted he might return to action for Friday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored twice to reach the 70-point plateau for the first time in a 5-3 upset of the Florida Panthers. Sam Montembeault kicked out 37 shots for the 29-33-12 Canadiens, who’ve won four of their last five games. Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist for the slumping Panthers (47-24-5), who’ve won two of their last 10 games and sit seventh overall with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad left this game with an undisclosed injury. The Panthers played without forwards Matthew Tkachuk (illness) and Carter Verhaeghe (upper-body injury). Verhaeghe is week-to-week and is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Ottawa Senators 3-2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves and Vinni Lettieri snapped a 2-2 tie for the 36-29-9 Wild (81 points) as they’re six points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Western wildcard. Drake Batherson netted his 27th goal of the season for the 33-37-4 Senators.

Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn scored twice in a 5-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Troy Terry and Olen Zellweger each had three points for the 25-47-4 Ducks. Andrei Kuzmenko potted two goals for the 34-35-5 Flames.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg are the league’s three stars for March 2024. Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard was named Rookie of the Month for March 2024.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud will return to the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers for his junior year. The 19-year-old winger has scored 42 goals in 79 NCAA games. He had 21 goals and 13 assists this season for the Golden Gophers and was named first-team All-Big Ten.

SPORTSNET: The ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers franchise had its membership terminated by the league’s board of governors.

The Growlers were the Toronto Maple Leafs’ ECHL affiliate. Deacon Sports and Entertainment, the majority owners of the Growlers and ECHL club Trois Rivieres Lions, had proposed a sale of both teams but only the Lions were saved.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Saturday that there had been a lengthy battle behind the scenes over payments to cities and some NHL teams.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sports media insider Jonah Sigel reports Rogers Communications could sell TV rights to its Monday night games (including playoff games) to Amazon over the final two years of its contract.

Sigel believes Amazon’s interest in getting a foothold in NHL broadcasting suggests it could be part of a broader strategy.

Rogers Communications’ current broadcasting agreement with the NHL has two years to go. The league could prioritize streaming services in its next TV deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some readers wondered what effect the end of Rogers’ TV contract two years from now might have on the NHL’s hockey-related revenue (HRR). It could be a lucrative deal with Amazon or another streaming service. If so, there would be no negative impact on HRR.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2024

by | Apr 2, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 2, 2024

The latest speculation on the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras plus a look at the Sharks’ rebuild in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ZEGRAS SPECULATION

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks doesn’t know what’s gone wrong in Anaheim for Trevor Zegras. He observed that the 23-year-old Ducks forward always seems frustrated or agitated, pointing out he destroyed the penalty box camera in Seattle last Thursday following a questionable call.

Brooks believes Zegras is “a young man who is clearly in need of a new beginning.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras is most likely frustrated by being limited to eight points in 24 games after missing most of this season to injuries. His contract negotiations with Ducks management kept him out of training camp and preseason play.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Zegras exceeded 60 points in each of his last two seasons. However, there was some disappointment in his performance last season as the Ducks wanted to see improvement in his all-around game. That can be considered growing pains as part of his development rather than a flaw that cannot be corrected.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Nate Brown noted the TNT Hockey panel recently discussing whether Zegras has a future in Anaheim.

Anson Carter noted some question marks as the Ducks have “an embarrassment of riches down the middle”, pointing to Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier (who primarily plays left wing) and Mason McTavish. He wondered if they have room for Zegras as they attempt to bolster their defensive depth.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s John Buccigross remains bullish on the Ducks forward. He believes Zegra has a “Pavel Datsyuk ceiling.”

Brown wondered if the rebuilding Blackhawks should look into Zegras’ availability. Despite his struggles this season, the Ducks would still set a high asking price based on his potential. Brown suggests it might be best to wait a year to see what a deal would take if questions still linger about his future in Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the trade deadline, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said he wasn’t shopping Zegras nor did any club call about him. Nevertheless, teams could still make inquiries during the offseason, especially if Verbeek starts shopping around for more immediate help for his roster.

NO BIG MOVES THIS SUMMER FOR THE SHARKS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli believes the San Jose Sharks seem to have a cohesive rebuilding plan after paring down some of the big contracts from their books. However, a lack of salary-retention spots for next season makes it unlikely that they’ll ship out more high-salaried players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Each NHL team has three salary-retention slots enabling them to absorb part of a player’s salary cap hit to facilitate a trade. The Sharks used theirs to move Brent Burns to Carolina in 2022, Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh last summer and Tomas Hertl to Vegas at last month’s trade deadline.

The Sharks must wait until the end of next season to regain a salary retention spot. That’s when Burns’ contract expires. They’ll have to wait for Karlsson to come off the books in 2027 for their next one.

They can’t retain salary if they attempt to move another high-salaried player such as Logan Couture of Marc-Edouard Vlasic. That’s assuming either player is willing to expand their no-trade clauses. They each have three-team trade lists.

If Couture or Vlasic accept a trade, the Sharks must take back a bad contract or include sweeteners like draft picks and prospects. Neither scenario will happen given management’s desire to shed salary and replenish their prospect pool.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

by | Apr 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ties a scoring record with Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews sets the Leafs single-season goal record, the Red Wings and Islanders remain in the Eastern Conference wildcard chase, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and collected an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky with 19 seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Bryan Rust also tallied twice for the 33-30-11 Penguins (77 points) as they move to within five points of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Rangers (50-21-4) remain in first place in the overall standings with 104 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A point-per-game in 19 straight seasons is a phenomenal achievement for the 36-year-old Crosby. He has 82 points this season in 74 games. Crosby also needs just three assists to reach the 1,000-assist milestone. He’s 13 goals from the 600 career goal milestone and 16 points from the 1,600-point plateau. Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman John Ludvig were late scratches from this game due to illness.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews broke his franchise single-season goals record with his 61st and 62nd goals as his club downed the Florida Panthers 6-4. Matthews also collected an assist to finish with three points for the Leafs (43-22-9), who won their third straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 95 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 52nd goal for the 47-23-5 Panthers, who sit seventh in the overall standings with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With eight games remaining in the Leafs schedule, Matthews has a chance to become the first player to score 70 goals in a season since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny in 1992-93. He holds a 10-goal lead over Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Hyman in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe left this game early in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Panthers coach Paul Maurice considers him day-to-day.

The Detroit Red Wings remain in the Eastern wildcard race with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Perron snapped a 2-2 tie, Lucas Raymond netted his 25th goal of the season and Alex Lyon stopped 34 shots for the 37-30-8 Red Wings, who sit behind the Washington Capitals with 82 points. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to tie Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 127. The Bolts (41-26-7) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings and Capitals have the same points total but the latter holds that wildcard with two games in hand.

An overtime goal by Brock Nelson lifted the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots for the 32-27-15 Islanders as they sit three points behind the Red Wings and Capitals. Morgan Frost scored in the final 10 seconds to force overtime for the Flyers (36-29-11), who picked up a point to regain third place in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson and teammate Bo Horvat each scored their 30th goal of the season in this game. Meanwhile, Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov made his NHL debut (stopping 19 of 21 shots) as he replaced Samuel Ersson, who gave up two goals on six shots. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to action after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury. However, team captain Sean Couturier left the game with an apparent upper-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche failed to gain ground in the overall standings as they fell 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander tallied twice and Kirill Marchenkov picked up his 20th goal of the season for the 25-38-12 Blue Jackets. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was held scoreless as his club sits sixth overall with 100 points (47-22-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Cole Perfetti scored twice and collected an assist as the Winnipeg Jets nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 to snap their six-game losing skid. Kyle Connor collected three assists for the Jets, who improved to 45-24-6 to sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (38-25-11) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Tyler Toffoli missed this game due to illness. Kings center Phillip Danault did not dress due to an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad scored in overtime to give his club a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues, who improved to 40-31-4 and sit three points behind the Kings for that final Western wildcard. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the 45-23-5 Oilers as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his 126th point of the season, sitting one behind Kucherov and MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He’s also just three assists away from reaching the 100-point mark in a single season. The last player to do that was Wayne Gretzky with 122 in 1990-91.

The Seattle Kraken doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shane Wright scored what proved to be the winning goal in his first game since being called up from the minors while Oliver Bjorkstrand netted his 20th of the season for the 31-30-13 Kraken. Fabian Zetterlund tallied his 21st of the season for the 17-49-8 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson and New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere were the league’s three stars for the week ending March 31.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct. He hurled his stick toward the on-ice officials following the Wild’s 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights on Saturday.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

by | Apr 1, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 1, 2024

A look at what could be in store for the Blues during the offseason plus speculation of a possible coaching change for the Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE BLUES DURING THE OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: With the St. Louis Blues poised to miss the playoffs again, Jeremy Rutherford believes St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will shake up his roster during the offseason.

The Blues will still be retooling their roster. Rutherford doesn’t see Armstrong making significant, expensive upgrades. Any big moves could involve money going out rather than coming in. He also doesn’t see the Blues GM spending to the salary cap next season.

Rutherford doesn’t expect pending unrestricted free agents Sammy Blais and Kasperi Kapanen will be back. Marco Scandella could also be allowed to walk depending on what plans Armstrong has for his top-four defense and for Scott Perunovich.

He also doesn’t believe the Blues will buy out a high-salaried defenseman’s contract. Armstrong hasn’t gone the buyout route since becoming the general manager in 2010. He could instead attempt to package one of them with a draft pick or prospect in a trade.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich (NHL Images)

Rutherford doesn’t see the Blues shying away from signing winger Pavel Buchnevich to a long-term extension. He thinks it could come down to where they see Buchnevich’s arc, how much he wants and if they think they’re going to compete in the next few years.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently examined the Blues’ options if they attempt to move a high-salaried defenseman like Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy. All are signed for at least two more seasons after 2023-24 and have no-trade clauses.

Parayko would have the most value but he’s also the defenseman the Blues probably don’t want to move. They tried to trade Krug last summer and a lot of teams view the undersized defenseman differently in the playoffs. There are also some diminishing returns on Faulk.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the goal is to shed salary the Blues have to move one of those four defensemen. They had a deal in place last June to send Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers but he used his no-trade clause to reject the trade as is his right.

Armstrong could approach one of those blueliners and ask them for a list of preferred destinations if he hasn’t already done so. Parayko is probably the only one he could move without having to include sweeteners in the deal. The rest could cost some combination of draft picks, prospects and a good young NHL player to make it happen.

Buchnevich surfaced in the rumor mill leading up to last month’s trade deadline. Some teams reportedly contacted Armstrong asking if he was available. The Blues GM wasn’t shopping the 28-year-old winger but was willing to set a high asking price to see if anyone would meet it.

Armstrong could follow the same plan this summer if teams come calling about Buchnevich. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Blues signed him to a contract extension.

COULD THE RED WINGS HIRE BERUBE AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH?

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reported a source told him that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is mulling the possibility of a coaching change in the offseason.

The source claimed Yzerman could replace Derek Lalonde as head coach if the Wings fail to reach the playoffs this season. Lalonde is currently in the second year of a three-year contract.

Former St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube is said to be at the top of Yzerman’s wish list.

Another source told Duff that Yzerman read the riot act to his coaching staff and players on Friday regarding their recent lackluster performance. They’re 0-2-2 on their current five-game road trip that ends on Monday in Tampa Bay.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings were in freefall throughout March, winning just three of 14 games. They tumbled out of a wildcard berth and sit two points out of a playoff spot with eight games to play.

Duff noted that the Wings’ slow start to games, their puck management and defensive structure have been issues this season. Part of that is how the team is constructed, which is Yzerman’s department. However, the coaching staff also deserves its share of the blame.

It wouldn’t be shocking if Yzerman shook up his coaching staff by hiring a more experienced bench boss with Stanley Cup experience.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2024

by | Apr 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2024

The Canucks reach the 100-point plateau, the Devils’ Dougie Hamilton’s season is likely over, the Stars’ Chris Tanev reevaluated following an injury on Saturday, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks became the sixth team to reach 100 points this season by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Dakota Joshua scored twice, including the game-winner, and Brock Boeser tallied his 38th goal of the season. The Canucks improved to 46-20-8 and moved into fifth place in the overall standings. Rookie Olen Zellweger scored his first NHL goal for the 24-47-4 Ducks.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils interim head coach Travis Green said on Saturday that Dougie Hamilton’s season is probably over. The 30-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since Dec. 1 following surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils were off to a stumbling start to this season before Hamilton was injured but were only two points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. The absence of their top defenseman contributed to their inability to clinch a playoff spot this season.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Chris Tanev was reevaluated Sunday after leaving Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. The injury occurred in the third period as Tanev was hit from behind by Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson, who received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing on the play. Tanev left the game immediately favoring his right arm.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will have a hearing with the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Hartman threw his stick in the direction of an official. He was upset over what he considered a lack of a high-sticking call against Vegas’ Noah Hanifin.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have recalled center Shane Wright from their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. Wright was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. This is his second stint this season with the Kraken, having played three games in November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics have been quick to label Wright a draft bust, overlooking that some players can take longer to develop than others. The 20-year-old center still has plenty of time to become a full-time NHL player and perhaps blossom into a star. The Kraken hope Wright will contend for a full-time roster spot in training camp this fall.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes forwards Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan are providing a sense of hope for the future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trio are promising youngsters with bright futures who could form the basis of a strong core of talent for the Coyotes in a few years. Speaking of Doan, he collected an assist on Saturday, becoming the first player in franchise history to register points in his first three NHL games. Doan scored two goals in his first game and collected two assists in the second one.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 31, 2024

by | Mar 31, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 31, 2024

Check out the latest on the Senators and Red Wings in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT COULD THE OFFSEASON HOLD FOR THE SENATORS?

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently compared the Senators and the Buffalo Sabres, who are poised to miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season. He noted the Sabres have gone through three general managers and eight head coaches.

The Senators are also reaching a crossroads as they’ll miss the postseason for the seventh straight season. They must avoid the Sabres blueprint if they hope to build around their young core.

Changes must be made. The Senators can’t just bring back the same roster next season and hope everyone improves.

The core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot, Ridly Greig and Jake Sanderson will be expected to improve. However, Senators GM Steve Staios must put the right group around them and improve the goaltending. Staios would also like to acquire additional leadership to support team captain Tkachuk.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman has some suggestions for how the Senators can get over the hump.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

First is hiring an experienced head coach such as Claude Julien, Craig Berube, Dean Evason, Gerard Gallant or John Stevens. Wegman also suggests making a major trade, entertaining offers for Chabot, Norris, Batherson, Jakob Chychrun and Claude Giroux, among others. Staios should prioritize acquiring a right-shot shutdown defenseman to balance the Senators’ blueline.

Wegman also thinks Staios should target strong defensive players via free agency. Options could include the Dallas Stars’ Chris Tanev, the Los Angeles Kings’ Matt Roy, the Edmonton Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Jalen Chatfield, the Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov or Ian Cole, or bringing back Dylan DeMelo from the Winnipeg Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staios has a lot of work to do here. Hiring a new head coach could be the easiest of his offseason tasks. He’ll have plenty of experienced NHL bench bosses to choose from if he goes that route.

It won’t be easy improving the goaltending. They’re stuck with Joonas Korpisalo, who has four years at $4 million annually left on his contract. They could try to replace backup Anton Forsberg, though his $2.75 million cap hit for next season could be difficult to move.

The Senators have a projected cap space of $11.8 million with 16 roster players under contract for 2024-25. A new contract for Pinto could eat up between $4 million and $5 million. Staios must find a way to free up some cap room to bring in that much-needed defensive help.

One or two notable players will have to be moved. Chychrun could be shipped out to make room for that right-shot shutdown rearguard. Norris’ injury history means his trade value is low right now. Giroux has a full no-movement clause but maybe he’d waive it for one last shot with a contender.

WHAT DO THE RED WINGS NEED NEXT SEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman recently looked at the Red Wings as they struggle to remain in the playoff chase and how it could affect their future.

Bultman noted the Red Wings have plenty of players who can score but they’ve struggled when they need goals that don’t come on the rush or with lots of space in the offensive zone. Their forward corps also must improve defensively.

The Wings need above-average goaltending, something they haven’t consistently received this season. They must also upgrade their defense corps.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings are sitting two points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

They held the first wildcard a month ago and seemed poised to secure their first playoff berth since 2016. However, they stumbled through March with just three wins in 14 games. They’re still in the chase because the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils are also struggling as the regular season winds down.

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman made no significant additions at the March trade deadline. If his club fails to clinch a playoff berth, he can’t just sit on his hands in the offseason and hope this same group will get better next season. He must address the issues raised by Bultman to avoid another disappointing outcome.

The Wings have a projected cap space of $27.9 million for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are completing their entry-level contracts and will seek substantial raises. Veterans Patrick Kane, David Perron, Shayne Gostisbehere, James Reimer and Daniel Sprong are among their pending unrestricted free agents.

Seider and Raymond will be re-signed but it’ll be interesting to see if they get long-term deals or bridge contracts. Most of those UFA could be cut loose as Yzerman seeks to improve his roster for next season.