NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 12, 2023

by | Jun 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 12, 2023

Updates on the Panthers and Golden Knights, the latest on the bidding for the Senators, Connecticut governor expresses interest in moving the Coyotes to Hartford, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

STANLEY CUP FINAL NEWS

FLA HOCKEY NOW: Matthew Tkachuk’s status for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final remains uncertain after the Florida Panthers winger saw limited playing time in his club’s Game 4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images)

Florida head coach Paul Maurice said the club has two days to evaluate Tkachuk’s condition. It appears the Panthers star was playing with an injured shoulder during the 3-2 loss on Saturday.

CBS SPORTS: Tkachuk isn’t the only Panther nursing an injury. Winger Anthony Duclair is being evaluated to determine his availability for Tuesday’s crucial game. He was shaken up during Game 4. An update on his status is expected on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Tkachuk and Duclair for Game 5 would rob the Panthers of two of their leading scorers as they try to stave off elimination. Even if they play, their injuries could hamper their effectiveness.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel is expected to play in Game 5 on Tuesday in Las Vegas. Eichel left Game 4 during the second period when he suffered an upper-body injury after being struck with a puck off the stick of teammate Jonathan Marchessault. He returned to action in the third period.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports NHL officials have reportedly served notice to representatives of the estate of Eugene Melnyk to complete the sale of the Senators as soon as possible. The three remaining bidders are also pushing for a decision.

This comes after Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos recently withdrew his rumored $1 billion USD bid. He was reportedly frustrated about the ongoing selection process.

That has made Toronto billionaire businessman Michael Andlauer more aggressive in his pursuit of the franchise. He’s reportedly informed officials with the Melnyk estate and broker Galatito Sports Partner that he’s ready to sign immediately and wants this done. His bid is believed to be between $900 million and $950 million.

Andlauer and billionaire brothers Jeffrey and Michael Kimel are considered the two legitimate bidders remaining in the process. Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks has also made a bid but it’s being considered a fall-back position in case the other two bids fall through.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league could be understandably anxious after Apostolopoulos become the second major bidder in less than a month to withdraw from the process. Garrioch claims sources indicate the sale would be completed soon as it’s believed negotiations are in the final stages with the preferred bidder. It’s worth noting that Andlauer is now considered the front-runner and has NHL experience as he owns 10 percent of the Montreal Canadiens.

WTNH.COM: Connecticut governor Ned Lamont said he has a group in place to buy the troubled Arizona Coyotes and move them to Hartford. The club would replace the Whalers, which relocated to Carolina in 1997 and become the Hurricanes.

Lamont said the XL Center (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center) would have to be refurbished to accommodate an NHL franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I said yesterday on Twitter, as much as I’d love to see the NHL return to Hartford, the league (especially Commissioner Gary Bettman) isn’t interested in relocating the Coyotes. They’ll continue fighting to keep the club in Arizona.

Should the league’s efforts fail, I expect their preference would be moving the Coyotes to a western US city such as Houston, Salt Lake City or Portland.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was disappointed that prospects Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson didn’t take part in the physical testing during last week’s NHL draft combine in Buffalo. The pair opted out citing their recent participation in the World Championships as a competitive disadvantage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have the third-overall pick in the upcoming draft. Fantilli or Carlsson could be available to the Jackets when it’s time to make their selection. Could their decision to skip the physical testing affect who Kekalainen chooses with that pick? We’ll find out during the opening round on June 28.

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers reports Jonathan Toews isn’t returning to the Chicago Blackhawks. He believes we’ll hear from Toews in the coming weeks whether he’ll retire or continue his NHL playing career with another club.

Power also wrote that the Blackhawks aren’t expected to re-sign their remaining unrestricted free agents after inking Andreas Athanasiou to a new contract last week. Those UFAs include goaltender Alex Stalock and winger Jujhar Khaira.

THE ATHLETIC: Retired Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is making a smooth transition as an in-studio NHL analyst for TNT.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: An upcoming ESPN documentary traces the Anaheim Ducks franchise from its founding 30 years ago based on a Disney movie to reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2003.

ECHL: The Florida Everblades are the Kelly Cup champions for the second straight year. They won the ECHL championship on Friday night with a four-game sweep of the Idaho Steelheads in front of a franchise-record crowd of 7,855 fans at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. The Everblades are the ECHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers and the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.










There Could Be More Short-Term NHL Contract Signings This Summer

by | Jun 11, 2023

There Could Be More Short-Term NHL Contract Signings This Summer

For the first time since 2019, the NHL’s annual free-agent period will open on July 1.

Apart from spoiling the Canada Day holiday for pundits, bloggers and freelancers (like me), it represents another return to normalcy for a league that – like everyone and everything else in the world – saw its normal calendar upset by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s usually a time when restricted and unrestricted free agents sign lucrative long-term contracts. Some players and teams are wasting little time getting the jump on things.

On June 5, the Montreal Canadiens re-signed RFA winger Cole Caufield to an eight-year, $62.8-million deal. Four days later, the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired pending UFA defenseman Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils and signed him to an eight-year, $50-million contract.

Those deals seem to signal that it could be business as usual in this year’s free-agent market. However, sandwiched between the Caufield and Severson signings was Vladislav Gavrikov’s two-year, $11.75 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings.

Acquired before the March trade deadline from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Gavrikov quickly established himself as a key member of the Kings’ defense corps.

The 6’3”, 217-pound blueliner played so well for the Kings that they offered him a long-term contract. However, his agent reportedly pushed for the shorter term in order for Gavrikov to reenter the UFA market when the salary cap is expected to be significantly higher.

The salary cap for 2023-24 is projected to remain flattened, rising only by $1 million to $83.5 million as per the terms of the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Meanwhile, Cap Friendly indicates 16 clubs carry less than $10 million in cap space while another five teams have less than $15 million. That’s 21 out of 32 NHL teams facing a difficult offseason bidding for UFA talent or re-signing key talent.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently explained the reason behind that ongoing flattened cap for next season is the players still have outstanding escrow payments owed to the NHL team owners due to the imbalance in hockey-related revenue during the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21.

That outstanding balance will be paid off by the end of 2023-24, after which the cap is projected to rise by at least $4 million in 2024-25 and another $4 million in 2025-26. Some speculate those increases could be even higher.

For Gavrikov, this means he’ll become a UFA in the summer of 2025 when he’ll be 29. If he continues playing well for the Kings, he could be in line for a longer-term contract with an average annual value worth much more than the $5.875 million AAV of his upcoming deal.

Not every player will follow Gavrikov’s example, preferring the security of a long-term deal. Others, however, could see this as an opportunity to get a good raise now on a shorter term while betting on themselves to receive much bigger paydays in two or three years’ time.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 11, 2023

by | Jun 11, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 11, 2023

Check out the latest on Connor Hellebuyck, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Brett Pesce, Carter Hart, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Noah Hanifin and many more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Insiders Pierre LeBrun, Eric Duhatschek and Michael Russo reported the latest trade rumors on the following:

Connor Hellebuyck will not sign a contract extension with the Winnipeg Jets. “That ship has sailed. His next contract will be with a new team.”

SPECTORS’ NOTE: Hellebuyck, 30, has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.166 million and lacks no-trade protection. The Jets could retain him for more shot at a playoff run but it seems more likely that he’ll be moved, perhaps by the upcoming NHL draft on June 28-29 in Nashville.

Speaking of the Jets, agent Pat Brisson reportedly informed management that his client, Pierre-Luc Dubois, isn’t interested in a contract extension. Brisson is willing to work with management to find a suitable trade partner. The Montreal Canadiens have engaged with the Jets but aren’t likely to overpay in return or contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes last week said that Habs captain Nick Suzuki’s $7.875 million cap hit was not the club’s cap ceiling for adding players via trade or free agency.

There was some speculation linking Dubois to the Boston Bruins. However, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited an NHL executive saying the Bruins lack the cap space and the tradeable assets to acquire him.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Brad Treliving, the new general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, prefers to keep the club’s “core four” (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and captain John Tavares) intact. Signing Matthews to a contract extension this summer remains his priority. He also hasn’t mentioned Marner’s name when talking with other clubs.

Treliving also wants to sign Nylander, whose agent also represents Johnny Gaudreau. Given that history when Treliving was Flames GM last year, he won’t allow Nylander’s situation to play out all year as he did with Gaudreau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade chatter regarding Matthews, Marner and Nylander has cooled significantly in recent weeks. If Treliving plans to move any of those three, he’ll have to do it before July 1. That’s when the no-movement clauses for Matthews and Marner kick in along with Nylander’s 10-team no-trade clause.

The Carolina Hurricanes hope to re-sign Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce to extensions this summer. It’s possible the Hurricanes trade Pesce (who recently changed agents) if his contract demands aren’t what management has in mind.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pesce’s AAV on his current deal is $4.025 million. The 28-year-old is slated to become a UFA next summer. He could seek between $6 million and $6.5 million annually on his next deal.

Flyers GM Daniel Briere is listening to trade offers for goaltender Carter Hart and forwards Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That doesn’t mean those three are certain to be traded. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also reported many teams spoke with Briere at the draft combine in Buffalo last week about Laughton and Hart.

Friedman also mentioned last week that the Flyers are aggressively shopping defenseman Tony DeAngelo.

Briere showed a willingness last week to make bold moves with that three-team deal that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus. We can’t rule out the possibility that he’ll move at least one of those guys for the right offer, one heavy with draft picks and quality prospects or young players that accelerates his rebuilding program.

The New Jersey Devils traded the rights of pending UFA defenseman Damon Severson last week to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who promptly signed him to an eight-year contract. The Devils could also peddle the rights of UFAs Ryan Graves and Miles Wood.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with the Severson deal, the asking price will likely be a draft pick.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy is fielding offers for Noah Hanifin. The 26-year-old defenseman is earning an AAV of $4.95 million and is slated to become a UFA next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have shaken up their front office and coaching staff this spring so it’s no surprise the focus is shifting to the roster. It’ll be interesting to see what Conroy has in store this summer. Forwards Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Tyler Toffoli are also eligible to become UFAs next summer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports the Washington Capitals have let teams know that forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha are on the trade block. Both players are coming off disappointing performances this season. The Capitals hope to shake up their roster and create some salary-cap flexibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving either guy won’t be easy. Kuznetsov is signed through 2024-25 with an AAV of $7.8 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. Mantha has a year left on his contract and lacks no-trade protection but carries a $5.7 million cap hit.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat recently cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming Tristan Jarry is looking for a six-or seven-year contract. The 28-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender is eligible for UFA status on July 1 after coming off a three-year deal with an AAV of $3.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Hellebucyk, Hart and the Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson surfacing in the rumor mill of late, the Penguins could pursue one of those as a replacement for Jarry.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 11, 2023

by | Jun 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 11, 2023

The Golden Knights are one game away from winning the Stanley Cup, the league’s sponsorship revenue surges, plus the latest on the Blue Jackets and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS DOWN PANTHERS TO TAKE 3-1 LEAD IN STANLEY CUP FINAL

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Florida Panthers for a 3-2 victory in Game 4 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson (NHL Images).

Chandler Stephenson scored twice and William Karlsson scored what proved to be the winning goal as Vegas jumped to a 3-0 lead midway through the second period. Florida battled back on goals by Brandon Montour and Aleksander Barkov.

The Panthers pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in the penalty box for a six-on-four power-play with 17.4 seconds remaining in the third period. However, the Golden Knights held firm as netminder Adin Hill finished the game with 29 saves.

Game 5 will be in Las Vegas on Tuesday at 8 pm ET with the Golden Knights having the opportunity to win their first Stanley Cup title on home ice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers faced a 3-1 deficit in their first-round series with the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins but battled back to upset the Bruins and win that series. However, this is a different team they’re facing in the Golden Knights and a different situation with the stakes being much higher.

For the first time in this series, the Golden Knights failed to score on the power play. It didn’t matter as they jumped to an early lead on Stephenson’s game-opening goal and tallied twice more in the second at even strength.

Florida caught a break as Montour’s goal pinballed in off Vegas defenders Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. Aleksander Barkov’s first of the series early in the third gave the Panthers life and made it interesting but they ultimately couldn’t crack the Golden Knights’ defense or Hill’s goaltending over the rest of the period.

The Panthers head into Game 5 with leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk hampered by an apparent shoulder injury suffered during Game 3. He struggled through the first two periods and skated just four shifts in the third, though he was on the ice for the final 2:26 of the frame. The Panthers star was noncommittal over whether he’ll play in Game 5.

With Tkachuk neutralized, other Panthers scorers must step up if they hope to overcome another 3-1 deficit. Barkov, Anthony Duclair and Carter Verhaeghe each have just one goal in this series while Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett have yet to find the back of the net against Vegas.

The league is expected to take a close look at a brawl that broke out around the Vegas net at the end of the game. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had been serving a delay of game penalty when he exited the penalty box and joined the skirmish. It remains to be seen if he’ll face supplemental discipline.

IN OTHER NEWS…

AD AGE: The NHL’s sponsorship revenue has surged thanks to their digitally enhanced dasherboard ads, an expanded field of advertisers and jersey sponsor patches. It rose by 21 percent this season to $1.28 billion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That likely won’t elevate the league’s projected $1 million increase in the salary cap for 2023-24. That’s because the players still owe $70 million in escrow debt to the team owners stemming from the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. That debt is expected to be paid in full before the end of next season.

It does bode well for significant increases in hockey-related revenue for 2024-25 and beyond. However, it’s also going to raise concerns among some fans that the league could further clutter up jerseys with more ad patches and ice space with more digital advertisements.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL goaltender Niklas Backstrom is rumored to become the next goaltending coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH’s Brian Hedger reports general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he’s received multiple calls about his first-round pick (third overall) in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft. However, he said it would take “an awful lot” to convince him to move it. So far, he’s received nothing even close that would tempt him to move that pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kekalainen could move that pick for the right offer but I wouldn’t hold my breath in anticipation. Given the depth in this year’s draft, they’re going to get a very good prospect with that pick that could blossom into an NHL star.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said he’s not chasing additional goaltending depth this summer. He’s comfortable heading into next season with oft-injured veteran Petr Mrazek and rookie Arvid Soderblom as his goalie tandem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Soderblom should expect a heavy workload in 2023-24. Mrazek last played at least 40 games in a season back in 2019-20, though he did appear in 39 games this season.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall-of-Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek is getting offers from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and the Buffalo Sabres for his memorabilia. He recently had to remove those items from the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame, which closed due to economic issues. Hasek’s best seasons were with the Sabres from 1992-93 to 2000-01.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2023

by | Jun 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 10, 2023

Why does Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois want to be traded? Does Alex DeBrincat prefer to stay with the Senators? Could the Predators shop Juuse Saros? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHY DOES DUBOIS WANT TO LEAVE THE JETS?

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Mike McIntyre believes the Jets should look inward as to why Pierre-Luc Dubois doesn’t want to sign a contract extension and is seeking a trade this summer. He thinks the club would be wise to discover the reasons and fast, even if it reveals some uncomfortable truths.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

McIntyre notes that Dubois is coming off the most productive season of his young NHL career with 27 goals and 36 assists in 73 games. He pointed out that the 24-year-old center was a fan favorite for his passion and emotion and was increasingly relied on by the Jets coaching staff in big moments.

Dubois is a Canadian player in a Canadian market, one where his father is an assistant coach for their farm team that plays in the same arena. The Jets would open the vault to re-sign him and he’s bound to take on a greater role within their leadership.

McIntyre acknowledged part of the problem could be Dubois himself, pointing to his departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, he also believes the young center has seen plenty of dysfunction within the Jets’ dressing room over the past three seasons. McIntyre also doesn’t buy into the theory that Dubois doesn’t enjoy playing under a big spotlight when his preferred destination is reportedly his hometown of Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some of this could be on Dubois but the Jets’ internal issues among their leadership group have been well-documented over the past two seasons. Perhaps what he needs is a good work environment with the right coach and teammates.

Whatever the reason, Dubois has made it clear that his future iS not in Winnipeg. Once the Jets front office addresses that issue, they must do something about the rumored toxic atmosphere behind the scenes that have plagued this club for some time.

DEBRINCAT OPEN TO STAYING IN OTTAWA

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne cites a source claiming Alex DeBrincat remains open to staying with the Ottawa Senators despite the recent trade rumors. However, he is looking for contract term like the eight-year deal that Cole Caufield got with the Montreal Canadiens.

The source claims DeBrincat likes head coach DJ Smith a lot and loves the team. Nevertheless, Warne noted the winger provided the Senators with a list of trade destinations.

Warne finds it curious why the Senators would need an answer from DeBrincat regarding his contract by draft day. He pointed out that the Senators have made solid trades in the recent past at other points on the calendar.

If the Senators truly want to keep DeBrincat long-term, Warne believes it would be sensible to wait a while longer. He thinks it wouldn’t dramatically affect the ability to make a good trade with the winger later on if they need to go that route.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat said during his end-of-season press conference that he’s open to anything. However, he wants to wait and see what happens with the sale of the club. That could explain why the Senators want to find out about his intentions by June 28.

As Warne noted, the new ownership could also affect whether the current management and coaching staffs remain in place. DeBrincat might not want to commit long-term only to end up with a Senators team that fails to improve and a new head coach that he doesn’t get along with.

KINGS ATTEMPTED TO ACQUIRE SAROS FROM THE PREDATORS

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher recently reported that the Predators had discussions with the Los Angeles Kings before the March trade deadline about Juuse Saros. The 28-year-old Predators goaltender was a finalist in 2022 for the Vezina Trophy.

Gallagher indicated the Predators’ asking price was two first-round picks in 2023 plus more. The Kings balked at that and instead acquired Joonas Korpisalo from Columbus.

It’s unlikely that the Kings will revisit their interest in Saros. Nevertheless, Gallagher believes the netminder’s future in Nashville is fuzzy under new general manager Barry Trotz. He noted that trading a Vezina-caliber goalie with two years left on his contract with a reasonable average annual value of $5 million could fetch a haul of prospects and draft picks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Saros would be a shocking move. It depends on whether Trotz intends to retool or rebuild the Predators roster. If it’s the former, Saros will be a key piece of that program. If Trotz is rebuilding, he could view Saros as a valuable trade chip that kickstarts the process.

KRAKEN COULD USE THEIR CAP SPACE TO LAND ANOTHER IMPACT PLAYER

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Geoff Baker recently speculated that the Kraken could seek to use their cap space this summer to add another impact player. That’s how they acquired winger Oliver Bjorkstrand last year from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With the cap projected to rise by just $1 million to $83.5 million, Baker noted the Kraken are well-positioned with an estimated $20.3 million in cap space to target cap-strapped clubs looking to dump salary.

Trade targets could include New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere or Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland. The Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings could also attempt to shed salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Baker wrote this piece before the Kings shed salary by trading Cal Petersen and Sean Walker to the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal. However, the other clubs on his list could be targeted by Kraken GM Ron Francis.

BLACKWOOD AND PULJUJARVI ARE AMONG THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT GET QUALIFYING OFFERS.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and Carolina Hurricanes winger Jesse Puljujarvi topped Frank Seravalli’s list of restricted free agents who might not get qualifying offers this summer.

Others included Montreal Canadiens winger Denis Gurianov, Anaheim Ducks forward Max Comtois, and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2023

by | Jun 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2023

The latest on the Panthers and Golden Knights on the eve of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, analysis of the Blues Jackets acquiring and signing Damon Severson, another bidder for the Senators walks away, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NEWS

FLA HOCKEY NOW: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky drew praise from his teammates and head coach Paul Maurice for his solid performance in their win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Bobrovsky, meanwhile, deflected attention away from himself, talking up the Panthers improved play in cutting Vegas’ lead in the series to 2-1.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky’s struggles in the first two games of this series contributed to the Panthers falling behind 2-0 as the series shifted to Florida. They need him to remain on top of his game if they hope to rally back and win the Cup.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Former Kings starting goalie Jonathan Quick is garnering praise from his Golden Knights’ teammates for his supporting role as their backup netminder. Quick hasn’t seen any action in this postseason but he’s accepted his job as Adin Hill’s understudy and mentor. Head coach Bruce Cassidy cited Quick as “doing his part, replaying experiences, supporting the team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick’s experience as a two-time Stanley Cup champion provides invaluable support for the Golden Knights even if he never sees any game action in this series. The Panthers are getting the same thing from sidelined winger Patric Hornqvist.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun notes the Golden Knights’ defense corps is a reminder to NHL general managers that size matters on the blueline in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Talking with general managers like the Edmonton Oilers’ Ken Holland, the Colorado Avalanche’s Chris MacFarland and the Minnesota Wild’s Bill Guerin as well as Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, the consensus is that it’s best to have a good mix of quick, puck-moving defensemen and big, rangy blueliners who used their size and strength to shut down opposing scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re not advocating a return to the huge, lumbering defensemen of the “Dead Puck era” who relied on physical play and uncalled obstruction to shut down scorers. In today’s game, big defensemen need skill and foot speed to keep up with those swift-skating offensive opponents.

Nevertheless, as LeBrun pointed out by citing recent Cup champions and finalists, contenders need sufficient size on the blueline capable of handling the two-month grind of the postseason.

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets acquired Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils on Friday in exchange for a third-round pick in 2023. They immediately signed him to an eight-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move came on the heels of the Jackets acquiring veteran defenseman Ivan Provorov from the Philadelphia Flyers in a three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Kings.

Columbus has some promising young defensemen on their roster and in their prospect pipeline. However, they also need some experienced puck-moving skills among their top-four blueliners. The additions of Provorov and Severson should address that issue while buying more development time for their blueline prospects.

Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen and his staff reportedly scouted Severson for months and had him at the top of their list of free-agent targets. The Devils’ willingness to trade his rights provided the Jackets with a golden opportunity to acquire him right away rather than risk losing him to another team via free agency.

With promising Luke Hughes joining the Devils and top prospect Simon Nemec likely to follow suit next season, Severson was the odd man out on their blueline. Rather than lose him for nothing, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald moved him for a draft pick.

Landing a third-rounder for Severson might not seem like a big deal for the Devils and maybe won’t amount to much down the road. On the other hand, that pick could one day turn into a quality NHLer or perhaps become a trade chip that adds an established player to their roster.

OTTAWA SUN: Billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos, the presumptive front-runner in the bidding to purchase the Senators, walked away from the process on Friday. Despite having made the highest and most fully-financed bid ($1 billion USD), Apostolopoulos was reportedly frustrated because he felt negotiations were taking too long with representatives of the Melnyk estate and the New York-based banker Galatioto Sports Partners assigned by the league to handle the process.

Apostolopoulos’ departure leaves Toronto businessman Michael Andlauer, Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of Harlo Capital, and Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks as the remaining bidders. It’s believed down to Andlauer and the Kimels as Sparks’ bid is said to be underfunded. Neither group has submitted a $1 billion bid for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the lowest bid is $850 million, which is no small amount. Still, the departure of the leading bidders raises questions about the reasons why it’s taking so long to arrange and finalize the sale of the Senators. It’s been nearly a month since the binding bids were submitted.

NHL.COM: Patrick Roy is interested in returning to the NHL coaching ranks but said he won’t be waiting by the phone in the coming days waiting for a call.

Roy said it’s been difficult for him to get an NHL coaching job because of the way he left the Colorado Avalanche in 2016. He quit the club as head coach over a difference of opinion with then-general manager Joe Sakic over the direction of the team. The Hall of Fame goalie acknowledged he made some bad decisions but claims he’s learned from those mistakes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Roy won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2013-14 and has enjoyed success as the long-time coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, guiding them to two Memorial Cup championships. However, his intense personality and abrupt departure from Avalanche have made most general managers reluctant to hire him. That includes those who played with or against Roy during his playing days.

Roy may have mellowed and matured since his last NHL coaching stint but it will take some time before a team comes calling with a job offer.

SPORTSNET: NHL scouts were comparing Connor Bedard to Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid during the 2023 NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo this week. Central Scouting director Dan Marr believes Bedard is on the same trajectory as a generational talent as McDavid.

Bedard is ranked as this year’s top prospect and is expected to be chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks during the upcoming NHL Draft in Nashville.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: It’s expected the Flames will announce the promotion of assistant coach Ryan Huska as their new head coach possible as early as Monday.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard has opened his Roberval, Quebec home to evacuees from wildfires in that province. Two families are currently staying there.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear may require shoulder surgery in the coming weeks. He could miss the start of the 2023-24 season.

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings have named Mike Buckley as their new NHL goaltending coach. He spent eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the last four as their head goalie coach.