NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2023

by | Jun 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Panthers ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Blues won’t buy out contracts, more changes to the front offices of the Flyers and Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Jack Eichel is making the most of his first-ever NHL postseason as his Vegas Golden Knights prepare for the upcoming Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

“It’s where you want to be as a player and (it’s) been taking a few years for me to get here,” said Eichel. “It’s been a great experience. It’s been a lot of fun sharing with the guys in the room, the emotions, winning and moving on.”

Eichel, 26, is tied for fourth in this postseason with 18 points.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill has been enjoying the ride to the Stanley Cup Final. Hill took over as their starter midway through their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, backstopping them to victory in that series and in the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.

In 11 postseasons appearance, Hill leads all goalies with two shutouts and a sparkling .937 save percentage.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has found his underdog team’s march to the Stanley Cup Final to be “an unbelievable experience.” He’s applied the lessons learned from the disappointments of the past to his performance in the 2023 playoffs. Bobrovsky’s won 11 of his 12 playoff games, including six in overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky’s performance has made him a front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Hill should also be considered a Smythe candidate.

NHL.COM: The Panthers long layoff has benefitted forward Eetu Luostarinen. Sidelined during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, he has returned to his usual spot with linemates Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart.

STLTODAY.COM: Don’t expect the Blues to go the buyout route to free up some salary-cap space this summer. “I don’t see us buying out players, no,” said general manager Doug Armstrong. “I’m not sure this is the summer for substantial changes for us. We talked about that at the end of the year. We want to see internal growth from some of the guys.”

Armstrong also said he was flattered to learn that his name was mentioned by Toronto sports media as a potential candidate to become the GM of the Maple Leafs. He said he was glad he was in Europe when those rumors came out. “My intentions, I’m a St. Louis Blue,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those rumors appear to be based on pundits thinking out loud and spitballing potential candidates for the job. It turns out the Maple Leafs never reached out to the Blues to speak with Armstrong, who’s under contract through 2025-26.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The shakeups continue in the Penguins’ front office. Their latest departures include director of pro scouting Kerry Huffman, senior vice president of integrated performance Teena Murray and director of hockey operations Alec Schall. No replacements have been named yet.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers have parted ways with senior advisor to the general manager and player development Mike O’Connell and player development coaches John Riley and Kjell Samuelsson.

They named Alyn McCauley as assistant GM, Riley Armstrong as director of player development and Nick Schultz as assistant director of player development.

THE SCORE: Player agent Kurt Overhardt doesn’t anticipate any problems reaching an agreement with the Minnesota Wild on a new contract for client Filip Gustavsson. “I don’t think it’s a matter of getting something done. It’s just a matter of when it’s done. It’s only June 2. So there’s still a lot of time.”

Gustavsson is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $787, 500. He’s a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. The 24-year-old Swedish goaltender appeared in 39 games with the Wild, starting 37 of them. He ranked second in save percentage (.931) among goalies with at least eight games played this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson has taken over the starter’s job from the aging Marc-Andre Fleury, who has one season remaining on his contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos is considered the front-runner in the bidding to purchase the Senators. He had the highest bid ($1 billion USD) and is thought to be in the driver’s seat because he has what’s considered to be the “cleanest” bid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Apostolopoulos hasn’t had to get outside investors involved to come up with the money to purchase the team. Garrioch indicated that his partners are his two brothers and his bid isn’t heavily leveraged with debt.

TSN: The Montreal Canadiens have signed checking-line forward Michael Pezzetta to a two-year, $1.625 million contract. The average annual value is $812,500.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes are mourning the loss of Bob Brind’Amour, father of head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Bob passed away on Thursday in Campbell River, BC, surrounded by family and friends.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to the Brind’Amour family.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Bark-Andre Furry, the beloved Jack Russell terrier who became the furry friend of the Vegas Golden Knights, passed away on Friday at age 14. Bark was named after former Golden Knights star Marc-Andre Fleury in 2018 and frequently appeared at their home games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Condolences to the Golden Knights and to Bark’s owners.










2023 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

by | Jun 2, 2023

2023 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

Well, my Stanley Cup playoff prediction record for this season is in ruins.

I went a respectable four-for-eight in the first round, a pathetic one-for-four in the second round and an embarrassing oh-fer in the Conference Finals.

Honestly, I’ve enjoyed the chaos of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. I loved seeing the 16th-seeded Florida Panthers reach the Final. It’s been fun watching Jack Eichel giving a good account of himself in his first-ever postseason with the Vegas Golden Knights.

That being said, it’s time to have a laugh and see if I can at least get the Stanley Cup Final right.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS

The Golden Knights got this far by eliminating the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, the Panthers upset the first-overall Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the second-overall Carolina Hurricanes.

Both clubs are seeking their first Stanley Cup championship.

Looking at the Golden Knights, they should be the favorite to win this series. Their goals-per-game (3.65) is better than the Panthers (3.13). Six Golden Knights – Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev, Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson – sit among this postseason’s top-15 scorers whereas Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov are the only Panthers among that group.

The goaltending appears to be a wash. Vegas’ Adin Hill (2.07 goals-against, .937 goals-against average) has slightly better stats than Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky (2.21 GAA, .935 SP), who is a former two-time Vezina Trophy winner. It’s the first time both netminders have gone this far in postseason play.

Hill was a castoff of the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks and was a third-stringer for the Golden Knights until pressed into service due to injuries to Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit.

Bobrovsky, meanwhile, struggled to regain his former Vezina form after joining the Panthers as a free agent in 2019. He took over midway through the first round with the Panthers down three games to one to the mighty Bruins and carried his club into the Cup Final.

The Golden Knights appear to have a deeper, more experienced roster. Their skilled blueline is anchored by former Stanley Cup champions Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez. They possess plenty of scoring punch with original Golden Knights Marchessault and Reilly Smith being Stanley Cup finalists in 2018 while Barbashev won a Cup in St. Louis with Pietrangelo in 2019.

Nevertheless, I’m drawn to the Panthers. They’re a hardworking underdog that’s been fun to watch during this postseason, upsetting three heavily-favored opponents along the way.

Bobrovsky and Tkachuk are the prime reasons the Panthers have reached this far and must be considered the front-runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Bobrovsky has reminded everyone this spring why he was a two-time Vezina Trophy winner. Tkachuk, meanwhile, has been clutch for the Panthers, leading them in scoring and has four game-winning goals, including three in overtime.

However, the exploits of Bobrovsky and Tkachuk overshadow a solid lineup for the Panthers. Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad and Anthony Duclair have all stepped up and played well. This club plays an aggressive, physical forechecking style that punishes and frustrates their opponents.

My head tells me to choose the Golden Knights. My heart says to go with the Panthers.

In the end, doesn’t everyone love an underdog story?

PREDICTION: PANTHERS WIN THE STANLEY CUP IN SIX GAMES










NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

by | Jun 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

The latest on Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele plus updates on Senators winger Alex DeBrincat and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck looked at the prospect of the Jets trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele if unable to sign them to contract extensions this summer. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Hellebuyck projects to be the Jets’ best trade chip as he could fetch a significant return if they rebuild or intend to retool on the fly. Possible trade destinations could include the Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

From the Kings, the Jets could look at Sean Durzi and Gabe Vilardi along with prospects like defenseman Brandt Clarke and Francesco Pinelli. Peyton Krebs, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and prospect Matthew Savoie or a first-round pick could be the Jets’ asking price from the Sabres.

The Jets could want Shane Pinto as part of the return from the Senators. Jesper Bratt of the Devils is a great player but the winger wouldn’t help the Jets down the middle. As for the Wings, maybe an offer of prospect center Marco Kasper, goalie Ville Husso and the ninth-overall pick in this year’s draft might entice the Jets to listen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltenders don’t usually have great value in the trade market but Hellebuyck could be an exception to that rule. The 29-year-old goaltender is in his playing prime. He won the 2019 Vezina Trophy and is a finalist for the award this season.

Turning to Scheifele, he could be the hardest player for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to part with. Drafted in 2011 by Cheveldayoff, Scheifele’s become the face of the franchise. However, it may be necessary if the Jets seek a fresh start.

The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames are Billeck’s suggested trade partners. He suggested pursuing defenseman Brandon Carlo and winger Jake DeBrusk from the Bruins, Seth Jarvis or Martin Necas and Brett Pesce from the Hurricanes, prospect center Marco Kasper or the 2023 ninth-overall pick from the Red Wings or perhaps a straight-up swap of Elias Lindholm with the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele’s coming off a career-best 42-goal performance this season. However, his production has been inconsistent since reaching a career-high 84 points in 2018-19 and that could adversely affect his value in the trade market. He will attract interest in the trade market but the offers might not be as lucrative as hoped.

SENATORS OPEN TO ALL OPTIONS WITH DEBRINCAT

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said his club is prepared to discuss an eight-year contract extension with winger Alex DeBrincat. However, the 25-year-old restricted free agent hasn’t made a decision on his future.

It will cost the Senators $9 million to qualify DeBrincat’s rights for 2023-24. Dorion indicated he’s had preliminary talks with the winger’s agent. The club could take him to arbitration to try and take as much as 15 percent off his salary. He also said that the Senators might have to consider trading DeBrincat if he’s not interested in signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired DeBrincat during the first round of last year’s draft. They could peddle him during this year’s draft in Nashville on June 28-29 if not sooner if there’s no contract agreement in sight by then. Expect to see his name appear more frequently in the rumor mill in the coming weeks.

COULD CAUFIELD RECEIVE AN OFFER SHEET THIS SUMMER?

RDS.CA: Darren Dreger doesn’t believe the Montreal Canadiens face any real threat of Cole Caufield receiving an offer sheet if he’s still unsigned on July 1. The 22-year-old left winger is coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Dreger believes the Canadiens are in a good position on this issue. He thinks they’ll match any offer if another team is crazy enough to go that route. He also said that he hasn’t heard anything about another club being a threat to do so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Caufield is willing to sign an offer sheet, a large number of clubs can’t afford to send him one. Cap Friendly indicates 14 teams have less than $10 million in cap space. Another five have less than $15 million. Of the clubs that have more cap room, most face significant investments in their own talent.

There’s also the matter of compensation. It could take an offer sheet worth $10 million annually to have a reasonable chance of deterring the Canadiens from matching. The compensation in that case is two first-rounders, a second and a third. Most teams can afford to pay that price. If anyone’s crazy enough to offer $10.8 million, the compensation is four first-rounders.

Cynics will point to the Carolina Hurricanes signing away Jesperi Kotkaniemi in 2021 but that was a different situation. The Canadiens had less cap flexibility at that time and the price of signing Kotkaniemi in terms of contract and compensation wasn’t as expensive as it will be for Caufield.

An offer sheet is also possible but they remain rare occurrences. If it happens, I think the targets would be more affordable, lesser-talented players than Caufield.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2023

by | Jun 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2023

The Penguins hire Kyle Dubas as team president, Leafs introduce Brad Treliving as their new GM, Patrick Kane undergoes hip procedure plus the latest on the Stanley Cup Finalists and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins yesterday announced the hiring of former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as their new president of hockey operations.

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas (NHL Images).

There is no word yet on who will become the Penguins’ new general manager. Three current assistant general managers (Tampa Bay’s Mathiew Darche, Dallas’ Steve Greeley and Seattle’s Jason Botterill) are believed in the running.

There’s speculation Jason Spezza could be a candidate. Spezza worked last season with Dubas as a special assistant. He quit that role after Dubas was fired by the Leafs.

During his introductory press conference yesterday, Dubas indicated he’ll be handling the role of Penguins general manager until July while he searches for someone to fill that role permanently.

Dubas indicated he’ll try to meet with goaltender Tristan Jarry, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said that winning the Metropolitan Division is a top priority and has no plans to replace head coach Mike Sullivan, who’s signed through 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those aren’t the only issues facing Dubas with the Penguins.

He and whoever he hires as GM must build up the roster depth around aging stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. They must also rebuild their depleted prospect pool.

Dubas must also decide whether he’ll keep his club’s 2023 first-round pick (14th overall) and use to to select a promising young player or attempt to trade it for more immediate roster help. While the Penguins have over $20 million in cap space this summer, he should still attempt to create more cap flexibility by finding a way to shed the contracts of Jeff Carter and Mikael Granlund.

THE SCORE: The Toronto Maple Leafs formally introduced Brad Treliving as their new general manager to the Toronto media yesterday.

Among Treliving’s priorities is signing Leafs superstar Auston Matthews to a contract extension. He also intends to meet with Sheldon Keefe to discuss his future as Leafs head coach. Like Matthews, Keefe has a year remaining on this contract.

Treliving also addressed the notion of trading one of the Leafs “core four” forwards of Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and captain John Tavares. He didn’t rule out a trade but also sounded like he’d be fine with heading into next season with those four in the lineup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, Treliving’s going to evaluate everything before making any big decisions. That’s understandable as he’s just taking over and needs time to consider all his options and what might work best for the Maple Leafs.

Whatever Treliving wants to do will require the blessing of team president Brendan Shanahan, who reportedly would prefer to give the core four and Keefe another opportunity to make a run for the Stanley Cup. It’ll be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming weeks.

SPORTSNET: Free agent winger Patrick Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery on Thursday. His recovery is four-to-six months which could see him miss training camp in September but could see his return to action early in the 2023-24 season.

Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, said his client is expected to make a full recovery. It’s not immediately clear how that surgery will affect the 34-year-old winger’s value in the free-agent market when it opens on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interested clubs could take a wait-and-see approach. Some might attempt to leverage his surgery to sign Kane to an affordable one-year “show me” contract with the promise of a more lucrative extension if he plays well following his return to action.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Turning to the Stanley Cup Finalists, Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone is held in high regard by GM Kelly McCrimmon, head coach Bruce Cassidy and his teammates. McCrimmon calls him “the straw that stirs the drink.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill’s performance in the 2023 playoffs will earn him a significant pay raise over his current contract. He could get a three or four-year deal worth between $4 million and $5 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hill is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.175 million. He’s due to become a UFA on July 1.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Meanwhile, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has maintained a simple motto for his players: “Work your ass off and have fun.” He’s also let his guard down from time to time and allowed his players to see him having fun as well.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have been a “loosey-goosey” bunch throughout this postseason because they’ve been the underdog against more heavily-favored opponents. When you’re not under as much pressure to succeed as your opponent, it can work in your favor. We’ll find out soon enough if that will help carry the Panthers over the Golden Knights in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final.

THE SCORE: Good news for Vancouver Canucks fans as Elias Pettersson’s agent believes contract extension talks will start this summer. Pettersson is a year away from becoming a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. His current average annual value is $7.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson will be due a substantial pay raise on a long-term contract. The 24-year-old center is coming off a career-best 102-point season, becoming the first Canuck to reach the 100-point plateau since Daniel Sedin in 2010-11.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky, 19, graduated from high school on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The past year-and-a-half has been a whirlwind of achievements for young Slafkovsky. He was named the MVP of the 2022 Men’s Olympic Hockey tournament helping Slovakia win the bronze medal, became the first-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens in 2022-23 before a knee injury cut short his season.

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHL Players Association reached an agreement on a one-summer trial arrangement amending the collective bargaining agreement to allow for limited on-ice training from coaching staff in the offseason. The current rule stipulates that clubs are not allowed to have coaches or hockey operations staff participate in on-ice offseason training sessions.

This comes after the Vancouver Canucks were fined $50,000.00 in May for violating the CBA as they hosted on-ice training sessions with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who also hold player development roles within the organization. This penalty will not be rescinded by this trial agreement.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Long-time San Jose Sharks radio play-by-play man Dan Rusanowsky is the latest recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. Sports journalist Mark Mulvoy was also honored with the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2023

by | Jun 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 1, 2023

The Hurricanes intend to be busy in this summer’s trade market, some proposed targets for the Avalanche to boost their forward lines, and some trade targets for the Blackhawks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

HURRICANES TO BE BUSY IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock reports Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell intends to go the trade route this summer rather than through free agency to bolster his roster for next season.

“I think the trade route is something we’re going to explore very heavily before free agency,” said Waddell during his end-of-season media availability yesterday. He indicated he’d like to boost the Hurricanes’ scoring but would also like to add some size to his roster.

“We’d like to get a little heavier, if possible,” said Waddell. He’s also hoping for a bounce-back performance from winger Teuvo Teravainen and for young players like Seth Jarvis to continue their improvement.

Waddell indicated there’s still no timeline for when pending free agent Max Pacioretty will return to action following his second torn Achilles. While they’re interested in bringing back the 34-year-old winger, he said they “have to make sure we don’t get caught counting on something that isn’t there.”

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (NHL Images)

DeCock also reported that Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has made re-signing center Sebastian Aho to a long-term contract extension “a top, top priority.” Dundon said he’d like to get Aho signed as soon as possible. Aho is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Dundon also believes it’s possible to bring back captain Jordan Staal. He anticipates it’ll be done quickly. “We want to keep him here.” The Hurricanes captain is also open to bringing back pending UFA goalies Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, pointing out that Pyotr Kochetkov remains waiver-exempt next season.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports Waddell wasted little time reaching out to Aho’s agent to get the ball rolling on contract extension talks. LeBrun also noted there’s little bitterness between the Hurricanes’ front office and Aho over the latter signing that five-year, $42.295 million offer sheet from the Montreal Canadiens that was quickly matched by the Canes.

LeBrun believes Aho wants to stay with the Hurricanes. He speculates they’d like to keep the average annual value of his next contract under $9.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes want to keep their roster as intact as possible for another shot at a Cup run next year after finishing this season with the second-best record (111 points) in franchise history. Despite being swept by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, they point to how close each game was in that series and how it could’ve gone their way had they caught some puck luck.

The Hurricanes might have to front-load Aho’s contract to keep it around $9.5 million. I anticipate it’ll cost them closer to $10 million annually on a seven- or eight-year deal to keep him in the fold.

It sounds like they’re also going to let Pacioretty go to market on July 1. Given his age and recent injury history, he’d had to accept a one-year deal with a substantial pay cut to stay in Carolina.

The Hurricanes have over $24 million in cap space for 2023-24. They can afford to bring back Staal, Andersen and Raanta and still have sufficient cap room to add a scorer. Waddell could target clubs looking to shed salary without taking too much back in return.

PROPOSED TRADE TARGETS FOR THE AVALANCHE

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau observed the Colorado Avalanche will get $7 million in cap relief with captain Gabriel Landeskog sidelined for next season recovering from knee surgery. With $20.3 million in cap room, he proposed five targets to boost their forward lines.

If the Avs look to free agency, Proteau suggested bringing back Ryan O’Reilly to provide the grit and experience they need for a deep playoff run. He anticipated O’Reilly could cost between $4 million and $5 million annually. He also suggested pending UFA winger Vladimir Tarasenko would be a good fit on their second line. So could Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker if he tests the market.

Proteau also suggested the New Jersey Devils’ Timo Meier or the Vancouver Canucks Brock Boeser. Meier is a restricted free agent who might become available via an offer sheet though the Devils could match it. The Canucks, meanwhile, are looking to shed salary but also need help in the blueline. Proteau suggested offering up Samuel Girard in exchange for Boeser.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how the Avalanche proceed this summer. Their priority remains a second-line center but they could also look at adding a short-term replacement on left wing for the sidelined Landeskog.

O’Reilly or Tarasenko might be possible but it depends on what they’re seeking on their next contracts. There’s been some speculation suggesting O’Reilly might return to the Blues on a short-term deal for around what Proteau was proposing.

Meier will be far too expensive if he becomes available via trade or offer sheet. Boeser for Girard would address the Canucks and Avs’ respective needs. However, Canucks management seems to be leaning toward retaining Boeser while shipping out someone else to garner some cap relief.

PROPOSED TRADE TARGETS FOR THE BLACKHAWKS

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers recently listed several trade targets for the Chicago Blackhawks if they wish to weaponize their cap space for 2023-24. They might be able to land some first-round picks or quality prospects by targeting cap-strapped teams carrying unwanted contracts.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland, defenseman Tyler Myers and winger Brock Boeser topped Powers’ list. Other options include Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha and New York Islanders winger Josh Bailey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garland or Myers are the most likely to be available. As noted earlier, the Canucks seem to be leaning toward hanging onto Boeser.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2023

by | Jun 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 1, 2023

The Leafs formally hire Brad Treliving as GM, the Kraken extend GM Ron Francis’ contract, the Rangers get permission to speak to former Predators coach John Hynes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A reminder that Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights is Saturday, June 3, at 8 pm ET in Las Vegas.

TORONTO SUN: On Wednesday, the Maple Leafs formally announced the hiring of former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving as their new GM. He replaced Kyle Dubas, who was fired as GM on May 19.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. (NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I went into detail yesterday regarding Treliving’s tenure with the Flames when the news broke that he was to be hired by the Leafs.

The consensus by the pundits (including the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons, the Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur and Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin) is that Leafs president Brendan Shanahan’s fate is now in Treliving’s hands. He may be the safe choice but is he the best choice? If he’s not, it will cost Shanahan his job.

Shanahan reportedly hopes to maintain the Leafs “core four” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and team captain John Tavares. He could also insist on keeping Sheldon Keefe as head coach for another attempt at winning the Stanley Cup. It’s believed that those who were interviewed for the Leafs GM job (including Treliving) had to agree to those conditions.

If the Leafs stick with their current roster and head coach, Treliving won’t have much room to put an immediate stamp on this club. They have limited cap space so he can’t just go out and sign big-name free agents or make a blockbuster trade to shake things up. He also can’t bring in a new bench boss who might have a fresh approach that turns the Leafs into a Cup contender.

The Leafs should be a playoff team for the foreseeable future. Even by bringing in affordable players to fill out their roster depth, they have the core talent to once again finish among the top-four clubs in the Eastern Conference. It’s how they do in the postseason that will determine whether Shanahan made the right call with Treliving.

Oh, and remember those media rumors linking the Leafs to St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong? It turns out they never even reached out to the Blues to ask permission to speak with Armstrong.

SEATTLE HOCKEY INSIDER: The Kraken signed general manager Ron Francis to a three-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Francis has done a fine job thus far as the Kraken’s GM. This extension was his reward for the second-year NHL club reaching the playoffs this season.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers sought and were granted permission from the Nashville Predators to speak with former head coach John Hynes, who was replaced yesterday with Andrew Brunette. Hynes was a teammate of Rangers GM Chris Drury at Boston University from 1994 to 1997.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: cited TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reporting Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron remains undecided whether he’ll return for another season or retire. The Bruins aren’t putting any timeline or pressure on Bergeron to reach a decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Just like last summer, the Bruins will give Bergeron all the time he needs. He’s earned that right.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Joe Pavelski shut down any notion of his retirement following this season. He once thought this season would be his last but his performance and that of his teammates changed his mind. Pavelski signed a one-year contract extension in January.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pavelski played a significant role in the Stars reaching the Western Conference Final. The 38-year-old winger still has enough left in the tank for another season.

Speaking of the Stars, Max Domi is open to returning with the club. Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline, he proved to be a solid addition to the Stars. Domi, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent and is seeking stability after playing for six teams in the last seven years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars could find it difficult to retain Domi because of their salary-cap constraints. That could send him into the UFA market on July 1.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Sidelined Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner and his wife are facing new allegations of fraud tied to the couple’s ongoing Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. A Las Vegas businessman claims Lehner misled him on his ability to repay $4 million in loans provided to the netminder.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Legendary goaltender Dominik Hasek used shopping carts to recently clear out his artifacts from the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame in Prague. He and other famous Czech players had to gather up what they donated to the Hall as it is closing due to economic issues. It’s hoped it will reopen in a new location in the future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated Hasek was emotional about this situation. He helped to create the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame and donated numerous artifacts from his playing career.