NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2024

by | May 9, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2024

Should the Islanders trade Brock Nelson? Will the Lightning peddle Anthony Cirelli? Could the Sabres trade their 2024 first-rounder? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE ISLANDERS TRADE BROCK NELSON?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello needs to shake up the core of his roster. He suggests trading forward Brock Nelson.

Brooks praised Nelson as an exemplary leader and team representative over the past 11 seasons. However, the 32-year-old winger would have value in the trade market as a full-season rental before his contract expires at the end of next season.

New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

Moving captain Anders Lee seems impossible given he has two years left on this contract with an AAV of $7 million and a 15-team no-trade clause. Bo Horvat has a full no-movement clause while Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock have full NTCs. They won’t part with Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson. JG Pageau has two years left on his deal with an AAV of $5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know what the always-secretive Lamoriello has in store for his club this summer. If the Isles GM takes Brooks’ advice, Nelson’s 16-team no-trade clause will hamper efforts to move him.

COULD ANTHONY CIRELLI BECOME THE NEXT LIGHTNING CAP CASUALTY?

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Eduardo A. Encina recently looked at five things the Lightning must do during the offseason. Re-signing Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman top the list but doing so means shedding sufficient salary to do so.

General manager Julien BriseBois said nothing was off the table when it comes to moving an existing contract to sign Stamkos and Hedman. One player worth watching is Anthony Cirelli because he’s the only member of the Lightning’s group of “locked-in” players lacking no-trade protection this summer.

It’s difficult to see the Lightning trading Cirelli. He’s their second-line center and their best two-way forward. However, he also carries a $6.25 million annual cap hit for the next seven years.

Encina also mentioned the possibility of getting defenseman Erik Cernak to accept a trade. However, the Lightning likely wouldn’t get much in return and might have to retain part of his salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cirelli would draw plenty of attention around the league, especially from rebuilding clubs with plenty of trade capital (draft picks, prospects, affordable young players) to offer up in return. It’ll be interesting to see if BriseBois would go that far.

Cernak’s no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. BriseBois could move him before then but he still won’t fetch as much as Cirelli.

WILL THE SABRES TRADE THEIR 2024 FIRST-ROUND PICK?

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Lance Lysowski believes the Buffalo Sabres should trade their 2024 first-round pick (11th overall) for more immediate roster help. He based this on the club being in a “win-now situation” according to new head coach Lindy Ruff.

The Sabres are already well-stocked in good young roster players and prospects. Lysowski suggested targeting cap-strapped clubs like the Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets that could be trying to shed salary this summer.

THE ATHLETIC: Matthew Fairburn shares Lysowski’s view but only if the Sabres can find the right trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. The Sabres have missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons. They must do something to end that streak and become perennial postseason contenders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

by | May 9, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2024

The Panthers tie their series with the Bruins, the Canucks rally to take Game 1 against the Oilers, the Ted Lindsay Award finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers thumped the Boston Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart collected four helpers and Brandon Montour picked up three points as the Panthers even the series at a game apiece. Charlie Coyle replied for the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman was pulled in the third period after giving up four goals on 23 shots. The series moves to Boston for the next two games with Game 3 on Friday, May 10, at 7 pm EDT.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a dominating performance by the Panthers. They outshot the Bruins 33-15, forcing them into making costly defensive mistakes.

The intensity between the Bruins and Panthers boiled over in the third period with the two clubs combining for 136 minutes in penalties. There was also a scrap between Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

Some observers wonder if the Bruins will start Linus Ullmark in Game 3 after pulling Swayman from this contest. I think they’ll return with Swayman given his solid overall performance in this postseason. He shouldn’t be punished for his teammate’s sloppy defense.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland scored the winning goal to cap a four-goal rally in a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round series. Zach Hyman scored twice as the Oilers surged to a 4-1 lead in the second period. However, Elias Lindholm, J.T. Miller and Nikita Zadorov scored to set the stage for Garland’s game-winner. Game 2 is on Friday starting at 10 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers had 14 shots on goal when they took a 4-1 lead. They only had four more over the rest of the game as Vancouver outshot them 24-18. The Canucks maintained their poise despite being dominated early in this game. Lindholm’s goal late in the second period cut the Oilers’ lead to 4-2, providing the spark for the Canucks third-period surge.

It was a big game for Canucks forward Dakota Joshua as he had a goal and two assists. This is the fifth straight win for the Canucks over the Oilers as they also swept the regular-season series 4-0.

Oilers forward Adam Henrique missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced in the lineup by Connor Brown.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award as this season’s outstanding player as voted by NHLPA members.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Kucherov won the Lindsay in 2018-19 while Matthews took home the award in 2021-22. This is MacKinnon’s first time as a finalist for this award.

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (lower-body injury) has yet to resume skating and is listed as indefinitely out of the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s absence is one reason the Hurricanes are down 2-0 in their second-round series against the Rangers. They miss his presence on their blueline.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot underwent successful surgery for a nagging wrist injury. The recovery period is two months and he’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Senators decided to retain their first-round pick (seventh overall) in this year’s draft. The club will instead forfeit their first-rounder in 2025 or 2026. That’s punishment for former GM Pierre Dorion gave the Vegas Golden Knights the wrong information about Evgenii Dadonov’s 10-team no-trade list after trading the winger to Vegas in July 2021.

TSN: Utah’s NHL team will debut its name, logo and team colors in 2025-26. They will have jerseys with the name “Utah” on them for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re currently being called the Utah franchise. Why not make that their team name going forward? Just kidding, of course. The new ownership intends to take its time coming up with the right name, logo and colors. That’s understandable given how quickly the franchise relocation from Arizona took place.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

by | May 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault, and the latest updates on the Predators and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE LEAFS’ MITCH MARNER AGREE TO A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving should ask winger Mitch Marner whether he’d have any interest in waiving his no-movement clause.

Marner, 27, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025. Koshan acknowledged he’s one of the best hockey players on the planet but his performance in the Leafs’ first-round series against Boston was underwhelming and not close to what a leader should provide.

Koshan suggested exploring the trade market to see if Marner would fetch a No. 1 defenseman. If not, they can use part of the money they would’ve invested in him to sign a top blueliner in next summer’s free agent market.

Meanwhile, Steve Simmons doubts Marner or team captain John Tavares will agree to waive their no-movement clauses. He thinks Marner might have some value in the trade market but it will be limited compared to his worth because he only has a year left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Simmons dismissed the notion that Marner could fetch the Leafs any number of great young players as mostly fantasy. He believes the Leafs will be in a better position to address their needs next summer when Marner and Tavares come off their books.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner could agree to waive his NMC if Treliving tells him they won’t offer a contract extension or if he starts to feel the pressure of playing in Toronto is too much. If he does, however, the Leafs likely won’t get a great return even if he agreed to a contract extension with his new club as a condition of the trade.

I’ve seen some folks suggesting the Leafs offer up Marner to the Utah franchise straight up for Clayton Keller. That won’t happen. Keller is their best player and a foundation piece on a roster of good young players. He also carries an affordable $7.125 million annual cap hit through 2027-28. They’ll want to add someone who can play with him.

WILL JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT REMAIN WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

LAS VEGAS SUN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/THE ATHLETIC: Jack Williams, Ed Graney and Jesse Granger report Jonathan Marchessault wants to remain with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 33-year-old winger is among the few remaining original members of the club. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million and is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

“I’ve done everything I can to stay here,” Marchessault told reporters Tuesday as he and his teammates cleaned out their lockers for this season. “I know I’m a big part of this organization and team. I’ve proved that over the years.”.

“I’m pretty confident. I’d love to stay. This is my home. I’m part of the guys that started this. It’s the most proud thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Marchessault said he spoke with general manager Kelly McCrimmon and their chat went well. “He wants me back,” he said. “He likes me, obviously, and the feeling is mutual.” McCrimmon agreed the conversation went well, adding he’s had preliminary talks with the winger and his agent.

The problem is the Golden Knights’ limited salary-cap space. They have roughly $7.6 million available with 18 active roster players under contract for next season. A new contract for Marchessault could cost between $6 million and $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take plenty of salary-cap gymnastics to free up sufficient room to sign Marchessault and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

That means making a cost-cutting trade or two. All of the expensive Golden Knights have some form of no-trade protection. Four – Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo – have no-movement clauses.

William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore and Adin Hill carry cap hits of $4.9 million or higher and have modified no-trade clauses. One of them could become a trade candidate.

LATEST ON THE PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty and Gentry Estes report Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz said everything was on the table regarding his off-season plans for the club.

Trotz told reporters on Tuesday that he wants to build up his top nine forwards, adding more youth and speed to augment the top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.

“We’ve got some draft capital that will allow us to be flexible and use those assets to acquire (talent),” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Trotz could be leaning toward re-signing Juuse Saros rather than trading him. The 29-year-old goaltender has a year remaining on his contract. The Predators can re-sign him starting on July 1. Trotz said Saros wants to stay and he wants to keep him. “We’re gonna work hard on getting something done with him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros was the subject of frequent trade speculation often linking him to the New Jersey Devils. He’s earning an AAV of $5 million on his current deal and it will cost more to re-sign him. I don’t doubt Trotz’s sincerity about retaining Saros but it will be worthwhile to monitor those negotiations.

UPDATE ON THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting the Devils are speaking to multiple candidates for their vacant head-coaching job, including former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils hope to hire a new coach within 7-10 days. “They should have a clearer picture by the end of this week.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2024

by | May 8, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2024

The Rangers take a 2-0 series lead over the Hurricanes, the Avalanche win their series opener with the Stars, the Sharks win the draft lottery, the Hart Trophy finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers took a 2-0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in their best-of-seven second-round series with a 4-3 victory in Game 2.

Vincent Trocheck scored in double overtime, Igor Shesterkin kicked out 54 shots, Alexis Lafreniere scored twice and Artemi Panarin collected three assists for the Rangers. Jake Guentzel tallied two goals, Sebastian Aho had three assists and Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots for the Hurricanes.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

The series moves to Carolina for the next two games with Game 3 on Thursday, May 9 at 7 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another entertaining game between these Metropolitan Division rivals. It also got chippy at times with Shesterkin getting run over by Carolina’s Andrei Svechnkov and Guentzel punching Rangers defenseman Adam Fox during a scrum.

Special teams made the difference in this contest. The Rangers went 2-for-7 on the powerplay and held the Hurricanes scoreless in their five attempts with the man advantage.

Evgeny Kuznetsov was a healthy scratch as Max Comtois replaced him in the Hurricanes’ lineup. 

An overtime goal by Miles Wood capped a four-goal rally by the Colorado Avalanche to defeat the Dallas Stars 4-3 in Game 1 of their second-round series. Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichuskin each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist and Wyatt Johnston netted his team-leading fifth goal of this postseason for the Stars. Game 2 is on Thursday in Dallas at 9:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche showed the rust from their layoff in the first period but regained their legs throughout this game. Meanwhile, the Stars faded a bit as this game went on having come off eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Colorado’s special teams were a factor, going 2-for-2 on the power play and killing off three of four penalties.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks won the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery, ensuring them the first-overall pick in this year’s draft, scheduled for June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The Sharks had the best odds of winning the lottery after finishing last in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are expected to select Boston University center Macklin Celebrini. Winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player, Celebrini has family ties to San Jose. He played minor hockey in the Jr. Sharks program as a 13-year-old after his family moved from Vancouver to the Bay Area when his father took a job with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon are this year’s finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player to his team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. McDavid is a three-time winner of the Hart (2016-17, 2020-21, 2022-23) while Kucherov took home the Hart in 2018-19. This is the fourth time MacKinnon has been named a finalist.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators officially named Travis Green their new head coach, signing him to a four-year contract. Green spent nearly five seasons as coach of the Vancouver Canucks and was named interim coach of the New Jersey Devils after they fired Lindy Ruff in early March.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues announced they signed Drew Bannister to a two-year contract, officially removing the interim tag from his position as head coach. Bannister took over from Craig Berube after he was fired in December.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s no surprise that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong stuck with Bannister. Under his coaching, they went 30-19-5 over the rest of the season and narrowly missed a wildcard playoff berth in the Western Conference.

THE SCORE: cited Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting that Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko will be sidelined until Game 5 of their second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers. He’s been out with a knee injury since playing in Game 1 of the Canucks’ first-round series with the Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The solid play of Canucks’ first-round hero Arturs Silovs has bought Demko time to recover rather than rushing back into action.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed winger Lukas Reichel to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.2 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2024

by | May 7, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2024

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Mitch Marner, Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois and Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE LEAFS TRADE MITCH MARNER?

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox believes a Mitch Marner trade makes sense for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 27-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. They cannot let him walk out the door for nothing.

Fox admits it would be difficult to move someone with an expensive salary cap hit ($10.9 million annually) like Marner. However, it’s not impossible, pointing to Jack Eichel and Erik Karlsson as recent examples.

The catch is how much Marner truly loves playing in Toronto. “That, we don’t know,” writes Fox.

At face value, Leafs general manager Brad Treliving can’t win a Marner trade. He’d risk the same criticism then-Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli faced in 2016 when he shipped Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for top-four defenseman Adam Larsson.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

However, Fox suggests Treliving “could properly disperse his dollars in a manner for fitting to team success.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner’s contract is the major obstacle in the path of a possible trade. It could adversely affect the type of return the Leafs might get.

The verdict is still out on the return the Sabres received from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Eichel deal. The Sharks might get an extra first-rounder in this year’s draft but they got little else in real value in last summer’s Karlsson trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With the right creativity, Treliving might pull it off. As to what that might be, your guess is as good as mine.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes the Flyers should avoid trying to acquire Marner. While he’s established himself among the league’s premier players, his reputation as an inconsistent playoff performer is one reason they should pass on him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers fans have little to worry about. Marner has a full no-movement clause and the Flyers might not be among his preferred destinations. Besides, general manager Daniel Briere insists he’s still following a rebuilding path despite his club exceeding expectations this season. He won’t pursue Marner if he becomes available this summer.

COULD THE KINGS TRADE PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Spencer Lazary believes the Los Angeles Kings should bite the bullet and trade Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Montreal Canadiens. He cited the recent skepticism regarding Dubois’ future in Los Angeles and the speculation last summer regarding his desire to play for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lazary’s column appeared before Kings GM Rob Blake’s press conference yesterday. Blake shot down speculation he might buy out Dubois’ contract, adding his club intends to work with him to improve his performance. That doesn’t sound like he’s planning to put the 25-year-old center on the trade block.

The Canadiens probably wouldn’t be interested in Dubois if Blake peddled him this summer. His $8.5 million annual average value for the next seven years is too expensive while the decline in his production will tank his trade value.

Maybe the Canadiens look into the availability of Arthur Kaliyev. Blake was critical of the 22-year-old winger, prompting speculation his time with the Kings could be over. He’s coming off his entry-level contract and could be an affordable reclamation project.

DUBOIS FOR KUEMPER?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek suggesting the Kings ship Dubois to the Washington Capitals for goaltender Darcy Kuemper.

Both players could use a change of scenery. Dubois would have an opportunity to skate alongside Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin while Kuemper could address the Kings’ need for a starting goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Silber does a good job explaining why that deal wouldn’t interest the Capitals. His contract and underwhelming play this season are the main reasons against it.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2024

by | May 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2024

The Bruins defeat the Panthers in Game 1 of their second-round series, the draft lottery will be held today, Jets coach Rick Bowness retires, the Senators are poised to hire a new coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Jeremy Swayman kicked out 38 shots while Mason Lohrei and Jonathan Brazeau each scored their first NHL playoff goals for the Bruins. Matthew Tkachuk replied for the Panthers. Game 2 is Wednesday, May 8 at 7:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers opened the scoring in the second period but the Bruins quickly seized contract soon afterward with goals by Morgan Geekie, Lohrei and Brandon Carlo. Brazeau’s goal in the third period put this out of reach.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (NHL Images).

Swayman was once again the difference for the Bruins. He’s their MVP thus far in this postseason.

Carlo missed practice yesterday as his wife gave birth to their son at 3 am back in Boston. The club flew him to Florida on a private jet in time to suit up for this game.

The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery will be held today at 6:30 pm EDT at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The San Jose Sharks have the best odds of winning (18.5 percent) after finishing last in the regular-season standings.

Boston University center Macklin Celebrini is the prize. Winner of the 2024 Hobey Baker Award, the 17-year-old is considered the top prospect in this year’s draft class.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets head coach Rick Bowness announced his retirement on Monday. The 69-year-old spent 38 seasons in the NHL in various coaching roles.

Bowness’ 2,726 games behind the bench as a head coach or assistant coach are the most by anyone in league history. He served as a head coach for this incarnation of the Jets over the past two years and one season with the original club in 1988-89. Bowness was also the head coach of the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness said he still loves the game and coaching but personal reasons were behind his decision. He took a month-long leave of absence earlier this season after his wife, Judy, was hospitalized by a seizure. Bowness also took some time away for a medical procedure. Here’s hoping he and his wife enjoy a happy and healthy retirement.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are expected to announce Travis Green as their new head coach by as early as Wednesday. He served as the interim coach of the New Jersey Devils after Lindy Ruff was fired in early March. Green was considered a top candidate for the full-time position but Devils management appears to be waiting for better options, allowing Green to speak with other clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Green spent nearly five seasons with the Vancouver Canucks during a time of considerable upheaval in the front office as the club attempted to rebuild its roster. He faces the challenge of coaching a Senators club filled with good young players who have missed the playoffs over the past seven seasons.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe took full responsibility on Monday for his club’s first-round elimination by the Boston Bruins. In what many believe was his final press conference as Leafs coach, Keefe said he still believes in the team and in himself but admitted his fate was out of his control.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keefe sounds like he knows he’s coached his last game with the Leafs. His fate could be decided later this week.

Leafs center Auston Matthews explained his absence from Games 5 and 6 of that series against Boston. He said he was “really, really sick” following Game 2 and tried to play through it during the next two games. “Then I took a weird hit and I couldn’t go any longer. That’s as detailed as I’m going to get into it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That explains why Matthews appeared to be at half speed during Games 3 and 4. His illness contributed to the Leafs’ elimination by the Bruins.

Matthews’ teammate Mitch Marner said he wants to be part of the Leafs’ long-term plans. He has a year remaining on his contract.

“I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city,” said Marner. “I grew up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and trying to figure something out.” He said it means the world to him to play in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner also said he and his teammates are looked on as “kind of gods” in Toronto. That raised some hackles and criticism in Leafs Nation but he’s not wrong. The problem is that these “gods” keep coming up short after eight seasons of hype and expectation.

Marner’s teammates also came to his defense about the criticism of his play in recent years, expressing their hope that he’ll remain part of the team’s future. Whether management feels the same way remains to be seen. I’ll have more on Marner in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley, team president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Brad Treliving will meet with the media on Friday. The press conference was originally scheduled for Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fact Shanahan is part of this presser suggests he’ll be completing the final year of his contract. His future beyond that remains in doubt and will hinge on the club’s performance in 2024-25.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forwards Evander Kane and Adam Henrique missed recent practices in favor of maintenance days to get healthy. Head coach Kris Knoblauch expects they’ll resume practicing on Tuesday and be ready for Game 1 of their second-round series against the Canucks on Wednesday.

Kane has been hampered by a sports hernia this season. Henrique suffered what appeared to be a leg injury during the Oilers’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

THE PROVINCE: Canucks center J.T. Miller is expected to be matched up against Oilers center Connor McDavid in the upcoming series between their two clubs. He admitted it will be challenging to contain the Oilers captain. “He’s different than anybody,” said Miller. “You can play what seems to be a perfect shift and all of a sudden he’s gone.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That matchup will be a crucial factor in determining the outcome of this series.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings general manager Rob Blake shot down recent speculation suggesting his club should buy out Pierre-Luc Dubois. He said they have no intention of buying out the final seven seasons of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubois had a disappointing first season with the Kings, ending up on their fourth line during the playoffs and finishing the regular season with only 40 points. The criticism of his play was justified but the notion of a buyout was absurd.

Whether at one-third or two-thirds of the remaining value depending on Dubois’ age during the buyout, it would count against the Kings’ cap for twice the remaining term. That means 14 years if they bought him out in June.