NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

by | Oct 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 11, 2023

Conor Garland receives permission from the Canucks to talk trade with other clubs, the Blue Jackets are shopping a defenseman, and the latest on Elias Lindholm and Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANUCKS GIVE GARLAND PERMISSION TO SEEK A TRADE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have given winger Conor Garland permission to speak with other clubs about a potential trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Friedman’s colleague Iain MacIntyre reported Garland, 27, recently changed agents. Neither the winger nor Canucks management denied the report. Garland declined to get into specifics when speaking to reporters yesterday, claiming it was the focus of his new agent.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston indicates a source informed him that Garland has been open to a trade for at least a year. He also cited Friedman claiming that Judd Moldaver, the winger’s new agent, is “aggressively calling around” to find teams that would be a good fit for his new client.

Johnston also noted that Garland frequently surfaced in trade rumors last season. He added that Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford have explored moving the winger since 2021-22.

TSN: Chris Johnston pointed out that Garland still has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of just under $5 million ($4.95 million). He said the Canucks know they’ll have to retain some salary to get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman also noted in his weekly “32 Thoughts” column that a recent injury to defenseman Carson Soucy has the Canucks “peeking at defense options.” Perhaps they can find a suitable blueliner (preferably an experienced right-shot rearguard) using Garland as trade bait.

Given their cap constraints and those of most teams this season, the Canucks would have to retain part of Garland’s annual cap hit to make this work. They could attempt to get a third team involved to broker a deal and spread the cap hit around. Perhaps a “dollar-in, dollar-out” deal is possible.

Garland’s aggressive two-way style of play will draw some interest around the league. Nevertheless, finding a suitable trade partner this early in the season could be difficult, given the salary-cap issues around the league. It might take a few weeks for something to shake out. It could also drag on toward the March 8 trade deadline when some clubs will have accrued enough cap space to make this happen.

BLUE JACKETS INTERESTED IN TRADING A DEFENSEMAN

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Columbus Blue Jackets have spoken to teams in recent days about trading a defenseman off their roster. He said that they’re telling teams they want more flexibility at that position.

Seravalli indicated the Blue Jackets are “open to different possibilities as they weigh value.” He speculated the candidates could be Adam Boqvist, Jake Bean or (to a lesser extent) Andrew Peeke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets want to move a defenseman. The Canuck have given permission for Conor Garland’s agent to talk trade with other teams. Could there be a fit?

Maybe for right-shot blueliners like Boqvist or Peeke. The Jackets only have just over $3 million in cap space but Boqvist has a $2.6 million cap hit and Peeke’s is $2.75 million. Nevertheless, they could want the Canucks to retain a bit of Garland’s salary in the deal.

It probably won’t happen since the Jackets have a fair bit of depth on their wings while Boqvist or Peeke might not adequately suit the Canucks’ blue-line needs. Still, it doesn’t hurt to speculate a little.

UPDATES ON ELIAS LINDHOLM AND SHANE PINTO

SPORTNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman speculated that the Calgary Flames could use Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele’s new contract as a comparable in their negotiations with Elias Lindholm. Scheifele will earn an average annual value of $8.5 million on a seven-year contract starting next season.

However, it’s believed Lindholm is in the $9 million range. The Flames have also reopened talks with pending UFA defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindholm is nearly two years younger than Scheifele and plays a two-way game. I doubt the Flames can sign him to a similar deal.

Friedman also pointed out that Shane Pinto’s salary-cap hit will increase this season for each day that he’s not signed by the Ottawa Senators. He cited William Nylander’s situation in 2018 where his AAV for 2018-19 was $10.277 million while the AAV for the remaining seasons was $6.96 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I bring this up because “Pengy” recently asked if that was still a thing (well-remembered, Pengy!). The longer Pinto goes unsigned between now and the Dec. 1 deadline for signing restricted free agents, the more his AAV will be for this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2023

by | Oct 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2023

The 2023-24 season began with Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard making his big-league debut, the Golden Knights raising their Stanley Cup banner, plus the latest notable news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard collected an assist in his first-ever NHL game as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Corey Perry, Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson each collected two points for the Blackhawks while Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard picked up that secondary assist on Ryan Donato’s goal that opened the scoring for the Blackhawks. The 18-year-old center acquitted himself well in his first NHL contest, seeing over 21 minutes of ice time and generating five shots on net. He’ll have to work on his faceoff skills as he won only 15 percent of his draws.

The Vegas Golden Knights raised their 2022-23 Stanley Cup banner in a pregame ceremony before winning their home opener by downing the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Adin Hill made 32 saves while Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson each had two points for the Golden Knights. Jared McCann replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights forward Brett Howden received a five-minute major and a match penalty for an illegal hit to the head of Kraken forward Brandon Tanev, who didn’t return to the game. An update on Tanev’s condition is expected on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring for the 2023-24 season in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Kucherov and teammate Nick Paul each tallied twice while Brayden Point collected three assists for the Lightning. Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg each had two points for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Tyler Motte left the game with an injured hand. An update on his status is expected on Wednesday.

HEADLINES

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture will miss his club’s season opener on Thursday against the Golden Knights. He remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov will miss his club’s season opener as he continues to rehab from reconstructive surgery on his right ACL back in March. Head coach Rob Brind’Amour claims Svechnikov is close to returning to action but the club doesn’t want to rush him.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed defenseman Aaron Ekblad on long-term injury reserve on Tuesday. Ekblad continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. He and sidelined blueliner Brandon Montour hope to return to action in December though one could return sooner than the other.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers still have Montour on injured reserve, suggesting he could return before Ekblad.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild named winger Kirill Kaprizov as an alternate captain. He joined captain Jared Spurgeon and fellow alternate Marcus Foligno among the Wild’s leadership group.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST/CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Caroline Hurricanes traded defenseman Caleb Jones to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for minor-league forward Callahan Burke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move shores up the Avalanche’s blueline depth. Jones became the odd man out on the Hurricanes as they opted to go with seven defensemen this season.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Anaheim Ducks claimed forward Ross Johnston off waivers from the New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston wasn’t seeing much playing time with the Islanders. He’ll get that with the rebuilding Ducks as they look to add more muscle to their roster.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Noah Gregor to a one-year contract worth $775K. He’d been with the Leafs during training camp and preseason on a professional tryout offer.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of PTOs, Max Comtois was released from his by the Golden Knights.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings goaltender David Rittich, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Barre-Boulet and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann were placed on waivers yesterday.

NHL.COM: Former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose is retiring as an ESPN analyst after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Melrose and his family.

DAILY FACEOFF: Scotiabank Arena will undergo major renovations totaling $350 million following the upcoming Maple Leafs and Raptors seasons. Formerly known as the Air Canada Centre, it opened in February 1999.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2023

by | Oct 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 10, 2023

What’s the latest speculation about Canucks center Elias Pettersson? Are the Bruins working on a trade? Could the Devils pursue a goaltender? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST PETTERSSON SPECULATION

SPORTSNET (via Jason Brough): In Monday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman talked about Elias Pettersson’s contract situation. The 24-year-old Vancouver Canucks center is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Friedman noted Pettersson stated in August that he wasn’t sure yet about signing a long-term extension with the Canucks. Since then, he thinks management has also indicated that they’re not sure yet either.

If there’s any doubt that Pettersson wants to commit to the Canucks, Friedman isn’t convinced that they want to make a commitment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One can’t fault Pettersson’s caution regarding a long-term commitment given the Canucks’ struggles over the course of his tenure thus far in Vancouver. He appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach to determine if there is a noticeable improvement in 2023-24 that puts them on the path toward being a contender.

The Canucks’ position is also understandable. They’ll want to see how well Pettersson plays and if he can build on last season’s 102-point breakout performance.

Some observers will view this as a standoff, anticipating that contract negotiations could get testy. However, it could also become much smoother than anticipated if Pettersson and the Canucks perform well over the course of this season.

It’s far too early to tell if this means Pettersson will never sign a long-term extension and will depart in a couple of years via free agency or a trade. Nevertheless, this situation will be worth monitoring over the course of the season.

BRUINS GM “WORKING THE PHONES”

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports an NHL executive source said Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was trying to make a trade over the weekend in order to fit rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei into the lineup.

The Bruins and all NHL teams had until 5 p.m. ET yesterday to submit their opening-night rosters. Sweeney admitted yesterday morning that they had one more roster decision to make before then, adding that the 22-year-old Lohrei made that decision more difficult.

Murphy noted that Sweeney had been gauging the trade market during the offseason for interest in Bruins defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei was ultimately sent to the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence yesterday. However, don’t be surprised if this kid returns to Boston at some point during this season, perhaps as soon as Sweeney can swing a trade to free up space for him. Injuries to any of their blueline regulars will also ensure his recall.

DEVILS MONITORING THE GOALIE MARKET

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichol cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicating that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has continued to look around in the goaltender market. The Devils are starting this season with the tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid.

Nichols doesn’t consider the search for a goalie to be imminent. He believes Fitzgerald will start the season with his current tandem to determine if the Devils will need an upgrade between the pipes before the March 8 trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2023

by | Oct 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 10, 2023

The Jets’ Connor Hellebucyk and Mark Scheifele and the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin sign contract extensions plus an update on Jake Guentzel and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

JETS SIGN HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets yesterday announced the signings of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele to identical seven-year contract extensions with an average annual value of $8.5 million. The deals go into effect next season.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was surprising news from the Jets. Given their eligibility for unrestricted free-agent status next summer, Hellebuyck and Scheifele frequently appeared in trade speculation during the offseason. It was assumed one or both would be shopped before the March 8 trade deadline if the Jets were out of playoff contention by then.

Re-signing Hellebuyck and Scheifele is a big win for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. He faced considerable criticism over the direction of the club in recent years, sparking calls for a roster rebuild from fans and pundits.

Cheveldayoff locked up this club’s two best players on long-term extensions with a reasonable average annual value, signaling that this club has no intention of rebuilding the roster. These moves also put a dent in the belief around the league that the small-market club can’t retain their best players.

Hellebucyk and Scheifele are both in their playing prime and would’ve earned considerably more from next summer’s free-agent market. By accepting less money to stick with the Jets, they’ve provided a big vote of confidence in Cheveldayoff’s plans.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

However, it’s also a substantial investment by the Jets in two 30-year-old players who will be in decline by the second half of their seven-year deals. While the salary cap is projected to rise considerably over that period, having $16 million tied up in two aging stars still takes a big bite out of their payroll. It could become a salary-cap headache down the road.

TSN: Speaking of the Jets, defenseman Ville Heinola underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle and will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks.

CBS SPORTS: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has ruled himself good to go for his club’s season opener on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. He’d missed preseason play with neck spasms.

SABRES SIGN DAHLIN TO EIGHT-YEAR EXTENSION

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres yesterday announced they reached an agreement with Rasmus Dahlin on an eight-year, $88 million contract starting in 2024-25. The average annual value is $11 million, making it the most lucrative contract in Sabres history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a hefty new contract for Dahlin but one that should prove worthwhile for the Sabres. The 23-year-old defenseman is among the league’s elite puck-moving blueliners, reaching or exceeding 40 points in four of his five NHL seasons. Those include his 53-point performance in 2021-22 and last season’s career-best (to date) 73-point output.

Dahlin is the cornerstone of the Sabres’ blueline corps and one of their core players. He will play a key role in this club’s future as they attempt to transition into a perennial playoff contender. This deal ensures they’ll have Dahlin under contract throughout the prime of his career. $11 million annually makes him one of the league’s highest-paid defensemen but it could be worth it for the Sabres over the long term.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Jake Guentzel is hopeful of signing a new contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “I’ve pretty much grown up in Pittsburgh,” he said. “I love this place so much. I really do. This is a great place, both for me and my family. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

Guentzel is in the final season of his contract earning an AAV of $6 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Contract talks haven’t started yet but both sides seem confident that a deal will get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins will have to pay Guentzel a raise if they hope to retain him. Perhaps they can convince him to accept between $8 million and $9 million for the security of a long-term contract.

TORONTO STAR: Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray will be sidelined for six to eight months following bilateral hip surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray will likely spend the season on long-term injury reserve. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer but his playing career is probably over.

The Leafs also announced Curtis McElhinney as their new director of Goaltending Development and Scouting, Jake Muzzin was named a pro scout and Chris Bourque was named a college free-agent scout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Muzzin is in the final season of his standard player contract with the Leafs but he is moving on to a post-playing career. He’s on what I call permanent LTIR due to a neck injury suffered during a game last October.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Sidelined forwards Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Radek Faksa remain questionable for the Stars’ season opener on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights defensemen Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud were placed on injured reserve yesterday.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury.

TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Austin Watson to a one-year, one-way contract worth just over $776K. He played four games with the Lightning during the recent preseason on a professional tryout offer.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders placed forward Ross Johnston on waivers yesterday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Johnston clears waivers he’ll likely be sent to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Ottawa Senators reclaimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off waivers yesterday from the Anaheim Ducks. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche claimed goalie Ivan Prosvetov from the Arizona Coyotes, the Calgary Flames claimed forward A.J. Greer from the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed defenseman John Ludvig from the Florida Panthers.

NEW YORK POST: The NHL has banned its teams from using Pride Tape during pregame warmups as it continues to move away from special initiatives that caused issues for a handful of players, including Pride Night.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: “Hockey is for everyone.”










NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2023

by | Oct 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 9, 2023

A look at possible destinations for Patrick Kane (yes, again!) in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

MORE DESTINATIONS FOR PATRICK KANE

SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler recently looked at some intriguing destinations for Patrick Kane. The 34-year-old free-agent winger continues to rehab from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure. However, it shouldn’t be long before the rumor mill heats up over potential destinations once he’s ready to return to action.

Sadler listed the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m doing a brief breakdown of Sadler’s list. Bear in mind that Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, said this summer that his client would entertain offers from clubs that give him the best opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. If such offers aren’t forthcoming, perhaps he’ll consider other destinations.

Free agent winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

The Sabres are Kane’s hometown team, he’s got a personal connection with general manager Kevyn Adams, and they have the cap space to sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres appeared poised to break through as a playoff contender for the first time since 2011. However, I’d hesitate to call them Cup contenders.

Kane playing for his hometown team makes a great story but they’re also loaded with scoring forwards while questions linger about their defense and goaltending. That’s where Adams’ focus could be if those issues threaten to derail their postseason hopes.

The Red Wings also have cap space plus Kane would be reunited with former Blackhawks linemate Alex DeBrincat.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings could also be poised for playoff contention after tying the franchise record last season of seven straight years without a postseason appearance. I’d consider them less of a Cup contender than the Sabres but I wouldn’t rule them out if they’re interested, especially if Kane doesn’t get better offers elsewhere.

Kane was reportedly interested in re-signing with the Rangers. Perhaps it might be possible once he’s healthy if they can pull it off cap-wise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane’s nagging hip injury and the Rangers’ lack of salary-cap space spelled the end of his brief tenure on Broadway. Their current cap constraints probably make pulling off a sequel too complicated for this season.

Sadler believes it would be fun to watch Kane play alongside Jack Hughes this season with the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yes, it would be fun to watch but they’re already loaded at right wing with Tyler Toffoli and Dawson Mercer. Cap space is also an issue. Never say never, I suppose, but I don’t see this one happening.

The Golden Knights always seem to find a way to land big-name players regardless of their cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights are sitting over the cap with Robin Lehner on long-term injury reserve. They can’t even accrue cap space to use at the trade deadline. Adding Kane means shedding salary provided he’s willing to accept a bargain-basement contract for this season.

Sadler considers the Florida Panthers a wild-card option. They were reportedly interested in signing him this summer. He would be joining them around the same time as sidelined defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour return from their shoulder surgeries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with the Rangers and Golden Knights, the Panthers’ limited cap room probably takes them out of the running unless management can get creative to pull it off.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont wondered if a reunion with the Chicago Blackhawks was possible for Kane. He suggested that the idea of the future Hall-of-Famer skating alongside Connor Bedard this season could be too tantalizing for either party to refuse.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible but I doubt we’ll see Kane return to the Blackhawks as a player. They’re a rebuilding club that is moving on with Bedard as its foundation and franchise star.

Some of you might wonder where I think Kane will end up. Honestly, I have no idea.

The few teams that can afford him are in the midst of a rebuild or emerging from one with hopes of ending their long playoff droughts. So many Cup contenders lack sufficient cap space to take him on unless he agrees to a very low-cost contract. Even then, many would have to dump some salary to add him to their payroll.

The determining factor here could be injuries sidelining one or two key players on a Cup contender. If those players end up on long-term injury reserve, it could free up the necessary space to sign Kane. We’ll just have to see how the season unfolds.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2023

by | Oct 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 9, 2023

Several notable players hit the waiver wire before setting their season-opening rosters, an update on Penguins winger Jake Guentzel, the Leafs and Canucks make a trade,  and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones, Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Zach Bogosian are among 46 players to be placed on waivers Sunday as the 32 NHL teams make final preparations to set their season-opening rosters by 5 pm ET today.

Others on the list include (in order of team): Alex Stalock, Anaheim Ducks; Zach Aston-Reese, Detroit Red Wings; Raphael Lavoie, Edmonton Oilers; Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Los Angeles Kings; Mark Friedman, Magnus Hellberg, Vinnie Hinostroza and Colin White, Pittsburgh Penguins; Calle Rosen, St. Louis Blues; Simon Benoit, Kyle Clifford, and Dylan Gambrell, Toronto Maple Leafs.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most of those 46 players will be heading to the AHL once they clear waivers. Some, like Armia, will probably go unclaimed because of their contracts and might not be sent down as doing so won’t clear much cap space for their respective teams.

White and Aston-Reese recently signed affordable one-year, two-way contracts with their respective clubs. Both could end up claimed by other teams before today’s noon ET deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Jake Guentzel could be in his club’s opening-night lineup on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 29-year-old winger underwent ankle surgery on Aug. 1 and was slated to be re-evaluated on Nov. 1. However, he began skating early in training camp and rejoined his teammates in full practice last week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Penguins as they’ll have their first-line left winger back in the fold well ahead of schedule.

TORONTO SUN/THE PROVINCE: The Maple Leafs shipped forward Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As per the reports, the Leafs made this move (along with putting six other players on waivers yesterday) to become cap-compliant before their season opener on Wednesday. Shipping out Lafferty removes his $1.15 million cap hit from their books, creating room to potentially sign free agent forward Noah Gregor off his professional tryout offer (PTO).

The Canucks, meanwhile, add more size, grit and speed to their checking lines for the coming season. Lafferty, 28, is in the final season of his contract and could become a useful bargaining chip later in the season if the Canucks are out of playoff contention by the March 8 trade deadline.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Canucks, defenseman Carson Soucy is listed as week-to-week after suffering an undisclosed injury during Friday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury appeared to be to Soucy’s left knee after he became entangled with Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Six noteworthy players were recently released from their professional tryout offers. They were Ryan Dzingel, who played with the Arizona Coyotes; Artem Anisimov by the Detroit Red Wings; Josh Bailey by the Ottawa Senators; Nick Ritchie by the St. Louis Blues; Scott Harrington by the Anaheim Ducks; and Nathan Beaulieu by the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many players recently released from their PTOs will be scrambling to find work in other leagues or face the end of their playing careers. A handful, however, could land with other NHL clubs based on their preseason performances. I’d keep an eye on Bailey, who had six points in as many preseason contests with the Senators.