NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2024

by | Jul 13, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 13, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canadiens’ possible trade targets and the Golden Knights’ goaltending in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek was asked by a reader which would be best suited to play a second-line role with the Montreal Canadiens, referring to Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras, Carolina’s Martin Necas, Columbus’ Kent Johnson or the New York Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko.

Duhatschek believes Johnson has the highest draft pedigree. He’s also the youngest of the four and scored 40 points in 2022-23 as a 20-year-old during a dismal season for the Blue Jackets. Johnson could have the best upside and could be a better fit for the rebuilding Canadiens.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

Johnson and Zegras still have a runaway for improvement. Kakko probably won’t ever be a top-six winger while Necas has had just one notable season.

As for which player would be the more realistic acquisition, Duhatschek thinks it would be Kakko, but only if their scouts see something in him that several Rangers coaches have not. He doesn’t see the new Blue Jackets management giving up on Johnson and cites the high asking prices for Necas and Zegras.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could explain why Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes hasn’t acquired a scoring forward this summer. Then again, he could be zeroing in on other options. Maybe Hughes doesn’t like the current market and will wait and see what shakes out during training camp and preseason.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: A reader asked Danny Webster who will be the Golden Knights starting goaltender in 2025-26. They currently have Adin Hill and the recently acquired Ilya Samsonov on expiring contracts.

The oft-injured Hill must prove he can stay healthy for an entire season. Meanwhile, Samsonov must prove he can bounce back from his poor showing in Toronto last season.

If Hill doesn’t play well enough this season to merit an extension, the Golden Knights will have to seek a replacement next summer. They could hope the New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin or Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark will hit the open market next July.

Webster also doesn’t rule out a trade this season. Ullmark could be available if the Senators struggle. Another option could be Anaheim’s John Gibson. Ultimately, he feels their best hope is for Hill and Samsonov to perform well this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers will make Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. He’s not going anywhere.

I agreed with Webster that Ullmark could be available via trade or free agency if the Senators flounder again. However, the Golden Knights would face competition for his services.

Gibson surfacing in the rumor mill has become an annual summer tradition. Maybe he and the Ducks will be ready to part ways in 2025.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2024

by | Jul 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 13, 2024

The latest on the Rangers attempt to trade Jacob Trouba, Predators GM Barry Trotz weighs in on teams like his in “no-tax” states, and the latest signings in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Stefen Rosner cited former New York Rangers general manager Neil Smith saying team captain Jacob Trouba blocked a trade to the Detroit Red Wings when he learned that’s where the Rangers wanted to trade him.

Smith said the Rangers asked Trouba for his 15-team no-trade list before his no-movement clause changed to a modified no-trade clause on July 1. As per his contract, the Trouba camp refused until July 1. When they did submit the list, Detroit was part of it because it had already been leaked to the media that the Rangers were talking about a trade with the Red Wings.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

That leaves Rangers management facing what Smith calls some “muddy waters” with their most important player, their team captain. He believes they’ll have to make Trouba feel wanted again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was clumsily handled by Rangers management but it did provide some intrigue to this summer’s trade market. That deal with Detroit was dead once it got leaked to the press. It seems that way based on all we’ve learned since late June.

Some Rangers supporters still blame Trouba for “putting himself above the team” by invoking his no-trade clause to block the deal to Detroit. However, he did nothing wrong by abiding by the terms of his contract.

The Rangers know which teams aren’t on Trouba’s “no-trade” list. They could attempt to move him to one of those clubs this summer, or before next year’s trade deadline, or at some point next summer. His $8 million cap hit will make that difficult to pull off, but it’s not impossible.

In the meantime, both sides will have to deal with the fallout from this situation. It’ll be interesting to see how this shakes out and what effect (if any) it has on the Rangers in 2024-25.

THE SCORE: Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz acknowledged that his team has an advantage playing in a state that doesn’t levy a state tax.

“It is an advantage because your dollar goes a little bit further,” he told TSN’s Overdrive on Wednesday. “There’s no question”.

The Predators made headlines this summer by signing unrestricted free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. Along with the Predators, the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken also have the advantage of playing where there is no state tax.

Four of the last five Stanley Cup champions were from “no-tax” states. The Lightning won in 2020 and 2021, the Golden Knights in 2023 and the Panthers in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those clubs have played in “no-tax” states for years. It’s only been recently that three of them enjoyed championship success. Some observers believe this gives those teams an unfair advantage that should be addressed in the next round of collective bargaining. 

The lack of a state tax does help those teams retain their best players and add players via free agency. However,  it does not guarantee success. How management invests that money in building and maintaining a contender remains the determining factor.

The Predators have declined since reaching the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Presidents’ Trophy the following season. Their previous management was not renowned for making big splashes in the free-agent pool like those that Trotz just made. It remains to be seen how those moves pan out.

As for the Stars, they have had their share of ups and downs since their Stanley Cup victory 25 years ago. The Kraken have only existed since 2021-22 and are still trying to build themselves into a contender.

The Panthers were a laughingstock for over two decades until they finally brought in stable ownership and management. The Lightning endured some ownership and management turmoil following their first Stanley Cup in 2004, including a rebuilding phase directly responsible for their consecutive championships.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights’ habit of swinging big trades for elite talent left them with a depleted prospect pipeline that could prove costly in the long run.

The salary cap eventually catches up with these clubs.

Limited cap space forced the Lightning to make cost-cutting moves that drained their roster depth, including the recent departure of Stamkos and trading away Mikhail Sergachev.

The Golden Knights recently lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, William Carrier, Michael Amadio, and Logan Thompson due to cap constraints while the Panthers had to bid farewell to defenseman Brandon Montour.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Islanders also signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets avoided arbitration with goaltender Jet Greaves, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $812,500.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Greaves is the fourth who filed for salary arbitration to sign with his club before his arbitration hearing was scheduled. The other three were Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser, San Jose Sharks blueliner Ty Emberson and Blue Jackets rearguard Jake Christiansen.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2024

by | Jul 12, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 12, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at some of the notable trade and free agent rumors facing some Eastern Conference teams.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently examined the lingering offseason questions for each team in the Eastern Conference.

He wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes would sign Martin Necas to a new contract or trade the 25-year-old forward. Given Jake Guentzel’s departure, the Hurricanes could circle back and attempt to mend fences with Necas.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports emerged this spring claiming Necas was unhappy with his role as a third-line winger, preferring a move to center and taking on more responsibilities. His filing for salary arbitration last Friday adds some intrigue to his situation.

Necas was linked to the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Utah Hockey Club and Vancouver Canucks at one point or another. So far, there’s no indication he’s on the verge of getting traded.

Dixon also wondered who would become the next head coach of the Blue Jackets. It appeared former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan was the favorite. However, he still has a year on his contract with the Kings and the two clubs couldn’t work out an agreement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft and former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason appear to be the frontrunners.

The Montreal Canadiens still must address their need to add another scoring forward. However, they could still find a way to do so during this offseason. Dixon pointed out that they carry a glut of promising young defensemen who represent possible trade chips.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has been involved in notable summer trades over the last two years. He acquired Sean Monahan from Calgary in Aug. 2022 and was part of the three-team deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins last August.

The Canadiens also have plenty of draft picks to draw on for trade bait. They have two first-round picks, two second-rounders, three third-round selections, and two fourth-rounders in next year’s draft and two fourth-rounders in 2026.

Dixon noted the New York Rangers’ attempt to trade defenseman Jacob Trouba and his efforts to block that move. The 30-year-old Rangers captain doesn’t want to uproot his family but GM Chris Drury could prefer moving his $8 million cap hit, which runs through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed Drury initially tried to move Trouba before the start of free agency on July 1 to clear room to sign a UFA or two. Dixon suggested Drury could now prefer peddling him to free up space to re-sign RFA defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider this summer, and to re-sign Igor Shesterkin before his UFA eligibility next July.

Trouba now has a 15-team no-trade list. The problem is many of the teams not on that list could lack the cap space, trade assets or both to acquire him.

Philadelphia Flyers center Morgan Frost was a frequent subject of trade chatter last season. Dixon wondered if another club might circle back with the dust having settled in the free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frost hasn’t been mentioned much in the rumor mill. That doesn’t mean he won’t be traded this summer. He’s had back-to-back 40-plus point seasons and carries a reasonable $2.1 million cap hit for this season.

Sidney Crosby’s contract extension remains the offseason story for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A report earlier this week claimed the two sides are getting closer to an agreement. As Dixon noted, however, the chatter won’t stop until Crosby finally puts pen to paper.

Speculation over Mitch Marner’s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs has died away. Dixon pointed out the 27-year-old winger has full control over his future with his no-movement clause and expects he’ll still be with the Leafs when training camp opens in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That seems to be the case. It will then become a question of whether they’ll sign Marner to a contract extension or risk losing him next summer to free agency.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2024

by | Jul 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 12, 2024

Kyle Dubas talks about his biggest mistake as Leafs GM, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour talks about the recent departure of several key players, the latest notable contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TORONTO SUN: In a new book by The Athletic’s Craig Custance, Kyle Dubas talked about his biggest mistake while general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The book is entitled “The Franchise: The Business Of Building Winning Teams.”

“The biggest mistake I think I’ve made in my whole time there has been not taking care of the three incumbent contracts,” said Dubas, referring to Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander coming off their entry-level deals. He felt they should’ve been signed to contract extensions on July 1 as they entered the final year of those ELCs.

Dubas also lamented not getting those contracts done before signing John Tavares as an unrestricted free agent in 2018.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas (NHL.com).

The article noted complications arose getting those three under contract. An unnamed team threatened to sign Nylander to an offer sheet, driving up his price and resulting in his two-month absence early in 2018-19. Marner, meanwhile, staged a brief training camp holdout in September 2019 before signing his deal. Matthews signed his contract midway through the 2018-19 campaign.

Dubas was criticized for his handling of those negotiations, and for signing Tavares to a seven-year deal in 2018 with an annual cap hit of $11 million. However, Darryl Belfry, who worked in the Leafs’ front office at that time, defended the former Leafs GM by pointing out how COVID-19 resulted in several years with a flattened salary cap.

“Kyle would never say it, but I will,” said Belfry. “You have a world shut down, it’s a flat cap for multiple years and you’re stuck holding the bag on a projection. You didn’t miscalculate, it was an act of nature that beat you.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I credit Dubas for admitting his mistake with his handling of those contracts for Matthews, Marner and Nylander. Belfry is also correct for pointing out how the flattened cap adversely affected the Leafs following those signings. No one could have predicted a global pandemic and its effects on the salary cap.

Nevertheless, I maintain that the Tavares signing was Dubas’ biggest mistake as Leafs GM. I said it when the rumors emerged leading up to the signing and I maintained that position afterward. They invested $11 million on a player they didn’t need.

Even if COVID hadn’t happened and the salary cap kept rising, the Tavares contract still would’ve been a drag on the Leafs’ cap payroll, hampering efforts to address the important roster needs.

The Leafs were the third-highest-scoring team in 2017-18 but needed to shore up their goaltending and defense, especially the right side of their blueline. The investment in Tavares should’ve been used to address those issues.

If no immediate solutions were available, they could’ve invested some of that $11 million in affordable short-term fixes while keeping the rest to use when better long-term options became available through trades or free agency.

THE SCORE: Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it was difficult watching several key players depart as free agents earlier this month. Trade deadline acquisition Jake Guentzel, defensemen Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, and forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen were among the notables who signed elsewhere.

Brind’Amour signed a contract extension in May. Since then, general manager Don Waddell stepped down and was replaced by Eric Tulsky. Meanwhile, trade rumors swirl about winger Martin Necas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes replaced those departed players with blueliners Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker and forwards such as Jack Roslovic and William Carrier. Still, the effects of that roster turnover will be felt next season, especially on the blueline where Skjei and Pesce were their second pairing.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning avoided arbitration with recently acquired defenseman J.J. Moser, signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.38 million.

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks signed defenseman Ty Emberson to a one-year, $950K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moser and Emberson were among 14 players who filed for salary arbitration on July 5. That number shrank to 11 with blueliner Jake Christiansen inking a one-year, $775K deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

The arbitration period begins on July 20 and ends on Aug. 4.

TSN: The Utah Hockey Club signed Tij Iginla to an entry-level contract. Iginla was their first-round pick (sixth overall) in the 2024 draft. Tij is the son of Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to a three-year ELC. He was their first-round pick (15th overall) in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Iginla, Brandsegg-Nygard and San Jose Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson (11th overall) signed their ELCs this week, bringing the total thus far to 14.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andrey Tarasenko, father of NHL winger Vladimir Tarasenko, died suddenly in Russia at age 56. Andrey was the developmental coach and trainer for KHL club HC Siber.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the Tarasenko family and HC Siber.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 11, 2024

by | Jul 11, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 11, 2024

Check out the latest on the Rangers, Canadiens and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LOHUD.COM: Vincent Z. Mercogliano suggests the New York Rangers might not make any major moves this summer after all. All the top unrestricted free agents are now off the board and it’s difficult to find an impact trade as there don’t seem to be many players available.

A lot of eyes are on the Winnipeg Jets. They’re believed to be deep in talks to trade winger Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Mercogliano also noted the Rangers had previous trade discussions with the Anaheim Ducks about winger Frank Vatrano. It’s believed the Ducks wanted to do more during this offseason. They could hang onto Vatrano and hope for higher bids at the trade deadline.

The Rangers will have access to a second contract buyout once Ryan Lindgren’s arbitration situation is resolved. However, they’re not expected to make use of it.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

They can also afford to keep Jacob Trouba on the roster despite the awkward fallout from general manager Chris Drury’s failed attempt to trade him to the Detroit Red Wings. It might be easier next summer to find a trade partner among those not on his no-trade list.

A source told Mercogliano that the Rangers aren’t thrilled with the trade offers they’ve received for winger Kaapo Kakko. They’d need an NHL-caliber player in return to fill the resulting hole in their lineup by trading Kakko.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drury could surprise us by finding a team willing to take Trouba or Kakko off the Rangers’ hands for the right price. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be surprising if both players are still on their roster when their season begins in October.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes will find slim pickings in this summer’s UFA market if he intends to go that route to add a scoring forward.

The site suggested the three best remaining options are Daniel Sprong, Tyler Johnson and Alex Nylander.

Sprong had 18 goals and 43 points last season with the Detroit Red Wings despite averaging only 12 minutes of ice time per game. Johnson had 17 goals in 67 games last season with the Chicago Blackhawks and would’ve netted over 20 had he played a full 82 games. Nylander had 11 goals and 15 points in 28 games after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s not a heck of a lot left to choose from here. The best you can say is they’ll be affordable signings. Maybe one of them might thrive in a third-line role with the Canadiens on a one-year deal.

THE SCORE: Josh Wegman cited The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reporting Jay Woodcroft and Dean Evason are among the finalists for the Columbus Blue Jackets’ head-coaching position.

Former Los Angeles Kings bench boss Todd McLellan was reportedly the first choice of Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell. However, he’s no longer in the running after contract negotiations fell through. McLellan still has another year remaining on his contract with the Kings, meaning the two teams would have to determine how much the Blue Jackets would pay. A source told Portzline the Jackets could circle back to McLellan.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2024

by | Jul 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 11, 2024

The Blues sign Ryan Suter, Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale resumes skating, former Predators captain Greg Johnson posthumously diagnosed with CTE, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues signed defenseman Ryan Suter to a one-year contract. Suter, 39, will earn a base salary of $775K but with bonuses could earn up to $3 million. He spent the past three seasons with the Dallas Stars.

St. Louis Blues sign Ryan Suter (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter’s best seasons when he was among the league’s elite defensemen are behind him. He’ll be skating as a third-pairing blueliner in St. Louis.

DAILY FACEOFF: Suter’s signing leaves Tyson Barrie, Tony DeAngelo and Oliver Kylington as the top defensemen remaining in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market. James van Riemsdyk, Daniel Sprong and Tyler Johnson are the top available forwards.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale has resumed skating and claims to be back to 100 percent healthy following sports hernia surgery in April. The 22-year-old indicated he’d been hampered by the core muscle injury since the start of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drysdale was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in January. He’ll be expected to play a key role on the Flyers’ blueline in 2024-25. When healthy, he’s projected to be a skillful, big-minute defenseman. Injuries have hampered Drysdale’s performance over the past two seasons.

TSN: Former Nashville Predators captain Greg Johnson was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE. The news was released by Johnson’s family and the Concussion Legacy Foundation in a joint statement on Wednesday, five years following his death by suicide

Johnson played 785 games with the Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

According to public records, 17 of the 18 brains of deceased NHL players were found to have CTE. They include Ralph Backstrom, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Steve Montador and Bob Murdoch. The NHL continues to deny the link between repeated head trauma and long-term neurological disorders, claiming that the evidence is not conclusive.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t expect this news to change the league’s stance. Nevertheless, Johnson won’t be the last NHL player to receive this posthumous diagnosis. At some point, the NHL will face a reckoning on this issue. Meanwhile, they appear content to live in denial.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carl Hagelin is still adjusting to life away from the ice two years after a career-ending eye injury during a practice with the Washington Capitals, requiring 30 stitches to repair the left eyeball after being accidentally struck by a teammate’s stick.

Hagelin now requires sunglasses more often than not to cope with the challenges brought on by the injury. He remains grateful that the eyeball was saved. The former NHL winger works with the Minnesota Wild in player development and scouting.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche officially named former players Andrew Cogliano and Pavel Francouz to new positions within the organization. Cogliano was named Special Assistant to the General Manager while Francouz is a Goaltending Scout.

SPORTSNET: Alex Meruelo has reportedly signed all the necessary agreements and paperwork that officially terminates his rights to the Arizona Coyotes franchise.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman last month announced Meruelo would no longer pursue a reactivation of the Coyotes after its hockey operations relocated to Utah. That decision was made after a bid to construct a new arena fell apart.

SPORTSNET: The popular salary-cap site CapFriendly shut down to the public on Wednesday. The Washington Capitals reached an agreement last month to purchase the site, which operated independently until the sale was officially confirmed on July 10.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston profiled PuckPedia and its creator Hart Levine. The site has been around since 2018 and has seen its traffic increase following the news of Cap Friendly’s sale.

The site does much of the same things as CapFriendly did. They relaunched its roster management tool last week. It also contains some things Cap Friendly lacked, like listing player agents and providing a pick-value calculator.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: CapFriendly was an invaluable tool for tracking team and player salary information. They were also helpful with any salary-cap questions I raised with them. I wish them the best of luck with their future endeavors.

I’ve linked to PuckPedia on my Rumors page for over two years, providing team and player links. They have done an excellent job compiling salary-cap information and fine-tuning their site. I highly recommend it as a reliable source.