NHL Rumor Mill – March 19, 2024

by | Mar 19, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 19, 2024

An update on the Canucks’ Elias Lindholm and Filip Hronek plus some recent news on Chris Tanev, Jacob Markstrom and Linus Ullmark in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

UPDATES ON LINDHOLM AND HRONEK

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin is noncommittal about re-signing Elias Lindholm, who was acquired from the Calgary Flames in January.

Allvin said he spoke with Lindholm’s representatives following the trade expressing an interest in signing the 29-year-old center to a contract extension. “But obviously it’s got to work for both sides. We’ll see,” he said, pointing out that it’s been an adjustment period for Lindholm since the trade.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm (NHL Images).

The Canucks GM told LeBrun that those contract discussions will likely occur following this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s in the final season of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $4.85 million.

The Canucks have $25.5 million in projected salary-cap space for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract. They can afford to re-sign Lindholm, however, that will depend on how long it takes to adjust to their style of play and how much he’s seeking on his next deal.

Lindholm won’t lack suitors if he goes to market on July 1. The Boston Bruins could be among them as they were frequently linked to him in trade rumors leading up to the recent deadline.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting the “sweet spot” in the Canucks’ contract extension talks with Filip Hronek is an AAV of $7.5 million. He believes it could cause problems if the 26-year-old defenseman seeks more.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and a year away from UFA eligibility. He’s in the final season of a three-year deal worth an AAV of $4.4 million.

Those problems Friedman alluded to could be how much Hronek’s new contract would bite into the Canucks cap space and the potential for an arbitration hearing. The latter could result in a one-year deal that could guarantee his departure as a UFA next July.

TIDBITS FROM “KYPER’S KORNER”

TORONTO STAR: In his recent “Kyper’s Korner,” Nick Kypreos wrote that the cost of a contract extension for Chris Tanev also factored into why the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t trade for him before the deadline. He claimed the Tanev camp sought $5 million per season but it could go lower if the 34-year-old defenseman got a fourth year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tanev will be 35 in December. The Leafs were wise not to go for that deal.

Kypreos claimed Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom and Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark refused to waive their no-trade clauses to go to the Los Angeles Kings before the recent trade deadline.

He wrote that Markstrom had no interest in being on the West Coast while Ullmark believes the Bruins have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup than the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kypreos wondered where Los Angeles’ “Tinseltown magic” to draw players has gone. I’m not sure that has anything specific with the Kings or LA. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala quickly signed new contracts after being traded to the Kings.

Markstrom’s situation is weird due to conflicting reports regarding a possible move to New Jersey last month. He wasn’t happy with how Flames management handled the situation as he didn’t want that distraction during the season.

It’s worth mentioning that Markstrom spent seven seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. He didn’t seem to mind being on the West Coast then. Maybe Kypreos was referring to the California coast.

Ullmark was rumored to have nixed a deal with the Kings but there are also reports that they weren’t the club he would’ve been sent to had the trade gone through. It’s also believed that 14 of the 16 teams on his no-trade list are Western Conference clubs.

The Kings have over $22 million in projected cap space for next season. That’s plenty of room to acquire an expensive goaltender via this summer’s trade market if they need an upgrade at that position. We’ll have to wait until then to see if they are having difficulty attracting players with no-trade clauses in their contracts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2024

by | Mar 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 19, 2024

Another milestone for Alex Ovechkin as the Capitals move into a playoff spot, the three stars of the week, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, becoming the third player in NHL history to score 20 goals in 19 consecutive seasons. Charlie Lindgren stopped 34 shots for the 33-25-9 Capitals, who vaulted into the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 75 points. Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf made 28 saves for the 33-30-5 Flames.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gordie Howe (22 seasons) and Brendan Shanahan (19) are the other two to reach that milestone.

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-2. Jeff Skinner netted his seventh career NHL hat trick and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 32 shots for the Sabres (33-31-5), who’ve won four of their last five and sit four points behind the Capitals. Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord got the hook after giving up three goals on four shots as his club slipped to 28-27-12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Alex Tuch collected his 300th career NHL point in this game. Meanwhile, Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 17, 2024.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner will miss the club’s two-game road trip as he continues to nurse a high-ankle sprain.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes winger Clayton Keller reached a franchise milestone during his team’s 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Keller, 25, collected two points to become the second player to reach 400 career points (401) in the club’s 28 years in Arizona.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ ongoing arena issues and ongoing playoff drought overshadow Keller’s impressive play over the past three seasons. He’s among the league’s best players but few fans outside of Arizona seem to know that.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek remains sidelined with a lower-body injury to the end of this week.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov received a two-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head to Tampa Bay Lightning winger Conor Sheary.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren is projected to be sidelined for several weeks with a lower-body injury. Lindgren suffered the injury during Sunday’s game against the New York Islanders.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Wayne Simmonds officially announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract to retire as a Flyers player on April 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds spent 15 seasons in the NHL from 2008-09 to 2022-23with the Los Angeles Kings, Flyers, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs. He finished with 263 goals, 263 assists and 526 points with 1,313 PIMs in 1,037 games.

During his eight years with the Flyers, Simmonds had six seasons of 24-plus goals and 46 or more points, including two 30-plus goal performances and two 60-point campaigns.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best of luck to Simmonds in his future endeavors.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov passed away at age 42. He spent three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2002-03 to 2005-06, finishing with 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points in 144 games. Koltsov spent most of his playing career in Russia, including 10 seasons in the KHL following his NHL tenure. He was the coach of KHL club Salavat Yulaev at the time of his passing.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Koltsov’s family, friends, former teammates and Salavat Yulaev for their loss.

STLTODAY.COM: Laila Anderson, the young girl who was the inspiration for the St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup run in 2019, has overcome her life-threatening brain disease. Now 15, she plays hockey for the Chesterfield Lady Falcons, who won the Blue Note Cup Tournament in the Bantam (B3) Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Laila and her teammates.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 18, 2024

by | Mar 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 18, 2024

Goaltenders could be in high demand during this offseason. Check it out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger recently examined what could be a busy trade market for goaltenders during the offseason.

The Boston Bruins’ Linus Ullmark, Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom and Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros were mentioned as potential trade candidates leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. Those three could be pursued by clubs looking to improve their goaltending this summer.

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald mentioned he’d like to “land one of these big fish” to share the goalie duties next summer with Jake Allen, who was acquired before the deadline from the Montreal Canadiens.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

The Devils attempted to acquire Markstrom in February and could revisit those discussions with the Flames.

In Nashville, the Predators must decide if they’ll sign Saros to a contract extension, trade him or ship out promising netminder Yaroslav Askirov.

The Bruins, meanwhile, could maintain their goalie tandem of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. However, the return they could receive for a Vezina Trophy winner like Ullmark could be too tempting to pass up.

Granger also mentioned John Gibson has come up in trade rumors over the past two years with the Anaheim Ducks in rebuild mode. He has three more years left on his contract but perhaps retaining part of his $6.4 million cap hit might grease the skids for a trade this summer.

Other suitors for those goalies could include the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher noted a recent report by Granger’s colleague Pierre LeBrun suggesting the Devils might revisit their interest in Saros.

Predators GM Barry Trotz is keeping his offseason options open regarding his goaltending situation. Nevertheless, Gallagher pointed out that it would take “one doozy of a package” to pry Saros away from the Predators.

Trotz indicated he wouldn’t move Saros for “inadequate stuff from other teams, unproven stuff from other teams.” Gallagher believes the Devils offer would have to include a high-end player such as Dawson Mercer, a prospect such as Seamus Casey and a first-round pick to tempt the Predators GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom, Ullmark and Saros will be in high demand. Potential suitors should expect it will be expensive to acquire them.

Markstrom is the oldest (34) and carries a more expensive contract (two more years at $6 million annually) with a full no-movement clause. Ullmark (30) and Saros (28) each have a year remaining on their contracts with the same average annual value ($5 million) but the Bruins goalie has a 16-team no-trade clause that drops to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

Saros could be the easiest of the three to acquire because he lacks no-trade protection.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2024

by | Mar 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 18, 2024

The race for the Presidents’ Trophy intensifies as the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth continues. Check out the details in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers picked up their fifth win in their last six games by downing the New York Islanders 5-2. Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves and Jonny Brodzinski scored the game-winning goal for the 45-19-4 Rangers (94 points), who moved into second place in the overall standings and are one point behind the Boston Bruins. Bo Horvat scored twice for the 29-23-15 Islanders (73 points) as they sit one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. An update on his status could come on Monday. Meanwhile, the Islanders are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Red Wings, they missed an opportunity to put distance between themselves and the Islanders and Washington Capitals (73 points) by dropping a 6-3 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby snapped a 12-game goalless drought as he was among four Penguins forwards with a goal and an assist. Lucas Raymond scored twice for the Red Wings (34-28-6) as they lost for the eighth time in nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Detroit still clings to that final Eastern wild-card berth only because the Islanders have just one point in their last four games. If the Red Wings don’t get their act together soon, they’ll be overtaken by the Isles or Capitals. Meanwhile, the Penguins (30-28-6) kept their playoff hopes alive as they’re five points back of the Wings.

A four-goal second period lifted the Winnipeg Jets over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1. Tyler Toffoli scored twice and collected an assist and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 30 shots as the Jets (43-19-5) moved into first place in the Central Division with 91 points. Brendan Gaunce scored for the 23-34-11 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets are tied in points with the Colorado Avalanche but hold first place in the Central with a game in hand. They’ve also moved into fifth place in the overall standings, just four points behind the league-leading Bruins.

Jake Guentzel scored his first goal with the Carolina Hurricanes in a 7-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Dmitry Orlov scored twice and had two assists and Sebastian Aho picked up three assists for the 42-20-6 Hurricanes (90 points), who remain four points behind the first-place Rangers in the Metropolitan Division. Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist for the 28-34-4 Senators.

Third-period goals by William Carrier, Jack Eichel and William Karlsson powered the Vegas Golden Knights over the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Noah Hanifin picked up two assists for the 36-24-7 Golden Knights, who hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot with 79 points. Nico Hischier replied for the 32-32-4 Devils.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Robert Thomas netted two power-play goals for the Blues (36-29-3) as they remain four points behind the Golden Knights. Troy Terry scored both goals for the 23-42-3 Ducks.

Three goals by Ryan Donato, Kevin Korchinski and Joey Anderson within 1:23 in the third period gave the Chicago Blackhawks a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Connor Bedard and Philipp Kurashev had a goal and an assist for the 19-44-5 Blackhawks. Devin Cooley made 26 saves for the 16-44-7 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers general manager Daniel Briere admitted he and his club were surprised to learn Ryan Johansen was injured when they acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche before the recent trade deadline.

The Flyers intended to send Johansen to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. However, that was overturned because an injured player cannot be demoted to the minors. He remains with the Flyers as he continues rehab on his injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansen played in all 63 Avalanche games before the trade. Maybe he suffered the injury in his final game before the trade. Perhaps he was nursing an injury for several weeks that worsened after the trade.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov faces a disciplinary hearing on Monday with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Conor Sheary on Saturday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais suffered a broken finger during his fight with Colorado Avalanche blueliner Josh Manson on Saturday.










Sidney Crosby Will Stay In Pittsburgh

by | Mar 17, 2024

Sidney Crosby Will Stay In Pittsburgh

Speculation arose about Sidney Crosby’s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins after general manager Kyle Dubas shipped Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes before the March 8 trade deadline.

Guentzel spent most of his career in Pittsburgh as Crosby’s left winger. The duo enjoyed several productive seasons together, including a Stanley Cup in 2017.

Crosby was understandably terse in his response to reporters when asked what message Dubas was sending by trading Guentzel. “I don’t know. It’s probably a better question for them,” he said.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Last month, Crosby told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that trading Guentzel wouldn’t affect his decision to remain with the Penguins. He also said that he wouldn’t offer any unsolicited opinions to Dubas regarding his long-time winger.

Crosby is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. It’s assumed he’ll sign a new contract to finish his career with the Penguins, possibly as early as this summer.

Some observers wondered if the Guentzel trade might change Crosby’s mind. For the first time in his 19-season NHL career, the Penguins are poised to miss the playoffs for the second straight season. Trading Guentzel signals Dubas’ intent to retool the roster at the very least.

TSN’s Martin Biron suggested the odds of Crosby re-signing with the Penguins dropped from 100 percent to 50 percent, citing the club’s change in direction.

Before the Guentzel trade, TNT’s Paul Bissonnette imagined what it would be like if the future Hall of Famer joined his buddy and fellow Cole Harbour, NS native Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado with the Avalanche, though he prefaced his post by saying, “I know it won’t happen but…”

Meanwhile, some fans took to social media dreaming up possible trade or free-agent destinations for Crosby. The Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens (his boyhood team), Boston Bruins (to play alongside long-time friend Brad Marchand), and Toronto Maple Leafs (to replace John Tavares when his contract expires next year) were among the proposed destinations.

I hate to burst your bubble, folks, but Crosby’s not leaving Pittsburgh.

Don’t take my word for it. Rossi hit back against the speculation, tweeting that Crosby will sign a contract extension on July 1. Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski tweeted he confirmed with people who spoke with Crosby that he’s not leaving. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also believes Crosby will sign an extension, speculating it’ll be a two or three-year deal worth $10.5 million annually.

I get why some folks would question why Crosby would stick around with the Penguins now that they’re heading toward a rebuild of some kind, especially when he’s still playing so well. They envision him chasing another Stanley Cup with MacKinnon or Marchand or going out on a high note by helping the Maple Leafs end their long Cup drought.

Unless something dramatically changes in Crosby’s relationship with the Penguins front office, he’ll remain loyal to the only NHL club he’s ever played for. The one he saved from potential relocation, giving them nearly two decades of great hockey and three Stanley Cups.

My bet is Crosby will follow in the footsteps of Mario Lemieux and stick around to pass the torch on to the next generation of potential Penguins stars.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 17, 2024

by | Mar 17, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 17, 2024

A look at some of the notable players in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market and more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

REINHART, GUENTZEL, STAMKOS AMONG THIS SUMMER’S NOTABLE UFA CLASS

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding the top players in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart tops this list. He is due for a significant raise over his average annual value of $6.5 million. With the 28-year-old Reinhart poised to score 50 goals this season, the Panthers intend to take a serious run at extending his contract.

The lack of a state tax gives the Panthers a chance at re-signing Reinhart if he accepts a little less than teammates Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million). He’ll draw lots of interest if he goes to market but he “absolutely” wants to stay put.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think the two sides will get it done. Discussions have reportedly been ongoing between the Panthers and the Reinhart camp. I can see him getting $8.5 million annually on a long-term deal.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel will be in high demand if he tests the market on July 1. Fox suggested Patrik Laine’s contract ($8.7 million AAV) would be a suitable comparable for the 29-year-old Guentzel with the Hurricanes or another team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes could re-sign Guentzel if he becomes a good fit and wants to stay. With a projected $30.7 million in cap space for next season and 13 roster players under contract, there’s room to keep him. That could mean letting Teuvo Teravainen depart via free agency or trading restricted free-agent winger Martin Necas.

Elias Lindholm’s low production since joining the Vancouver Canucks and their recent re-signing of Elias Pettersson suggests Lindholm is a pure rental player this season. Fox noted that the 28-year-old two-way center’s stock is in decline but a strong performance in the postseason should bolster his value.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm was linked to the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers before the Canucks acquired him from the Calgary Flames. He’s seeing third-line center duty in Vancouver right now but there could be teams willing to bet that his performance will rebound in a top-six role.

The Vegas Golden Knights have several high-profile UFAs and can’t afford to keep them all. However, there’s mutual interest between Vegas management and defenseman Noah Hanifin regarding an extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could mean bidding farewell to 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault. There haven’t been any contract talks between management and the 33-year-old winger.

Speaking of Marchessault, he said that the value of his next contract is motivating his performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault is making an AAV of $5 million as he finishes a six-year contract. Given his age, he likely won’t get any offers over four years but he could seek around $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal. He seems destined to hit the open market.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos raised eyebrows last September when he voiced his disappointment over the lack of contract extension talks last summer. He might have to accept a pay cut if he hopes to finish his career with the only team he’s played for in his 16-year NHL career. The Lightning have over $75 million invested in next season’s payroll.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 34-year-old Bolts captain is earning an AAV of $8.5 million, considered below market value when he signed his current deal in 2016. He could accept another pay cut but could draw the line at anything under $6 million annually.

Matt Duchene has improved his stock this season with the Dallas Stars. The 33-year-old center could have more suitors this time around.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duchene was bought out by the Nashville Predators last summer as a cost-cutting measure after his production dropped from 86 points in 2022-23 to 56 points last season. Signed to a one-year, $3 million contract by the Stars, he has 58 points in 67 games. He’ll be receiving buyout payments for the next five seasons so perhaps he’d be willing to sign a three-year deal with the Stars for around $4 million annually.

Defenseman Brett Pesce could price himself away from the Carolina Hurricanes, who have several other players on expiring contracts. Fox believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could be among the suitors if the 29-year-old Pesce goes to market on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s current AAV is $4.025 million. It could cost the Leafs (or anyone else) over $6 million annually to sign him.