NHL Rumor Mill – March 11, 2023

by | Mar 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – March 11, 2023

Check out the latest on the Capitals and Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Sammi Silber recently cited Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan telling a local radio show that one of his off-season goals will be to bring in a top-six winger.

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan (NHL.com).

Silber noted that Alex Ovechkin is the only Capital to reach the 20-goal plateau with a team-leading 36. T.J. Oshie is second with 16 goals. MacLellan intends to use some of the draft picks acquired before the trade deadline to potentially make some moves in the offseason. Free agency could also provide some options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Capitals have over $10 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 with 15 roster players under contract. All of their core players are under contract but adding a top-six winger could eat up a big chunk of that cap space. MacLellan could include a salaried player in a trade packaged with a draft pick to bring in that scoring winger.

Silber also reported that Conor Sheary was relieved that he wasn’t moved at last Friday’s trade deadline. An unrestricted free agent on July 1, Sheary hopes to re-sign with the Capitals but said there hasn’t been much progress on a deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sheary is completing a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.5 million. He should be an affordable re-signing but that could depend on how much cap space the Capitals have if they find that aforementioned top-six winger.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently indicated that an unnamed team made a “real, legit offer” for Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro. Despite struggling at times this season, the 24-year-old remains a talented and competitive blueliner. Sharks GM Mike Grier is said to have set a high asking price for Ferraro.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ferraro is also in the first season of a four-year contract with a cost-effective $3.25 million AAV. He would be a valuable trade chip if the Sharks intend to engage in a complete roster rebuild. Then again, Grier could see him as a valuable part of a rebuilding roster.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2023

by | Mar 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2023

The Panthers defeat the Blackhawks, the Ducks upset the Flames, the reaction to the Flyers firing general manager Chuck Fletcher, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Brandon Montour gave the Florida Panthers a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists for the Panthers (33-27-6), who moved to within two points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 72 points. Petr Mrazek made 39 saves for the 22-37-6 Blackhawks.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

The Anaheim Ducks upset the Calgary Flames 3-1. Max Comtois had a goal and an assist while John Gibson stopped 36 shots for the 22-35-9 Ducks. Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames, who dropped to 29-24-13 and remain four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 71 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson surpassed Guy Hebert for the most saves (11,837) in franchise history.

HEADLINES

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers fired general manager Chuck Fletcher on Friday. Fletcher is also out as president of hockey operations. Daniel Briere takes over as GM on an interim basis.

In his four-plus years on the job, Fletcher’s Flyers reached the playoffs once (2020). The last straw for ownership appeared to be his inability to trade pending free agent winger James van Riemsdyk before the March 3 trade deadline.

Fletcher also faced criticism for his draft record, his trades and free-agent signings, and difficulties in coping with injuries to key players like Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis and Cam Atkinson.

Sam Carchidi speculates Ray Shero could be a candidate for the general manager or president of hockey ops position. The former GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils is currently a senior advisor with the Minnesota Wild.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall suggests Fletcher’s inability to suitably replace Matt Niskanen following the blueliner’s sudden retirement in 2020 may have been most fatal to his tenure as GM.

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor believes firing Fletcher could be just the start of changes within the Flyers’ front office, citing the dysfunction of hockey operations under his tenure. There appeared to be a disconnection between the two sides of the organization, as well as between hockey ops and ownership.

In his statement announcing Fletcher’s firing, Flyers governor Dave Scott confirmed the roles of general manager and president of hockey ops would be separated. No longer will one person hold both positions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have been mediocre for over a decade now. Fletcher’s firing seemed inevitable even before the trade deadline debacle.

Fletcher wasn’t responsible for what happened under his predecessor but he deserves the burden of blame for the Flyers’ failure to improve under his watch. They were stubbornly resistant to a much-needed roster rebuild, ignoring a fan base eager to embrace change.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski cited multiple sources claiming the GM job is Briere’s to lose. Given that he’s taken over on an interim basis it’s apparent he’s the front-runner to take over on a full-time basis. He could have a hand in whoever is hired to fill the hockey ops role.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has taken a leave of absence to return to his native Latvia due to an illness in the family. The club has recalled Daniil Tarasov on an emergency basis.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: The Canadiens revealed yesterday that sidelined forward Kirby Dach remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Winger Brendan Gallagher remains with a lower-body injury for another three to four weeks. Defenseman Arber Xhekaj underwent successful shoulder surgery on March 1 and is expected to be fully recovered for the start of training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dach is also likely done for the season. Gallagher could return before the end of the regular season but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still sidelined by that point.

THE ATHLETIC: Two men were arrested this week and charged in the May carjacking involving Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner and his fiancee. Marner was glad to have closure to the incident. “It’s a moment you don’t want anyone to be a part of,” he said yesterday.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2023

by | Mar 10, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – March 10, 2023

Check out the latest on the Devils’ Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, the Flyers’ Kevin Hayes, the Predator’s Juuse Saros and the Flames’ Elias Lindholm plus a look at the Red Wings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TIDBITS FROM SPORTSNET’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” COLUMN

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman wrote the New Jersey Devils are engaged in contract extension talks with Jesper Bratt. He’s a restricted free agent who is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You know who else is an RFA this summer who’s a year away from UFA status? Timo Meier, the guy the Devils acquired nearly two weeks ago.

Cap Friendly indicates they have $47.8 million invested in 11 players for next season. There’s plenty of money to re-sign Bratt and Meier but it will take a big chunk out of their remaining payroll.

Meier could seek a multi-year deal worth around $9 million annually while Bratt could seek around $8 million. Both have comparable offensive numbers over the past two seasons but Meier has a more established record.

I’ve suggested that Meier could be insurance for the Devils if contract talks with Bratt go sideways. It’ll be interesting to see how those negotiations pan out.

Speaking of Meier, Friedman wonders if the Devils might consider club-elected arbitration with the 26-year-old winger for 85 percent of his $10 million qualifying offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Devils did that and won they’d get Meier for one year at $8.5 million. That comes with the risk, however, of the winger deciding to test next summer’s UFA market. That’s fine if they only see Meier as an option for this season and next but not such a good idea if they want to fit him into their long-term plans.

Friedman doesn’t think there was much linking Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes to the Carolina Hurricanes before last Friday’s trade deadline. However, he thinks there could be something with the Columbus Blue Jackets. “Two of his biggest fans – Johnny Gaudreau and Rick Nash – are there.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have a longstanding need for skilled depth at the center position. There was a recent report claiming a team was interested in acquiring Hayes and employing him as a center. Perhaps that unnamed club was the Blue Jackets. We’ll find out in the offseason if there’s anything to it.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, Friedman cited The Athletic’s Michael Russo reporting they contacted the Calgary Flames about center Elias Lindholm. He’s among six Flames who are a year away from UFA eligibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Friedman observed, the Flames weren’t going to part with Lindholm while they were still battling for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. However, it could be something worth monitoring in the offseason depending on how things shake out for the Flames down the stretch. Those other players Friedman was referring to were probably Mikael Backlund, Tyler Toffoli, Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov and Oliver Kylington.

The Detroit Red Wings are thin on the right side of their blueline after trading Filip Hronek to Vancouver. It’s something they’ll have to address in the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps the Red Wings will use one of their two first-rounders in this year’s draft and next year’s draft or one of their three 2023 second-rounders as trade bait this summer to address that need. That’s something The Athletic’s Max Bultman touched on during a recent mailbag segment.

The Wings will have over $32 million in cap space for next season. With that trade capital, they could target cap-strapped clubs with surplus defensemen looking to shed salary this summer.

Friedman believes the Los Angeles Kings made an exploratory call to the Nashville Predators regarding goaltender Juuse Saros.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A report post-trade deadline out of Nashville indicated the Predators viewed Saros, Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg as their untouchables. It doesn’t hurt to ask, of course, but it appears the Predators are looking at a quick turnaround rather than a major roster rebuild. Saros will be part of that anticipated bounce-back season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2023

by | Mar 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2023

The Stars enjoy a 10-goal performance against the Sabres, the Oilers down the league-leading Bruins, Erik Karlsson sets a career-high for points, Kirill Kaprizov sidelined, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars crushed the Buffalo Sabres 10-4, marking their first 10-goal performance during a road game since October 1985. Jamie Benn and Mason Marchment each had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson had three assists and Radek Faksa tallied twice for the Stars as they improved to 35-17-13 to sit atop the Central Division with 83 points. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (32-28-4) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 68 points.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Stars as Tyler Seguin left the game in the first period after being cut by a skate blade above his left knee. There was no postgame word regarding his condition but he was spotted on crutches following the game.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson scored his 20th goal of the season in a 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich each had two points for the 28-31-5 Blues while the Sharks fell to 19-35-12 on the season. Karlsson set a career single-season high with 83 points and reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time since 2014-15.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson, 32, leads all NHL defensemen this season in goals and points. He’s considered the front-runner for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top blueliner.

The Edmonton Oilers nipped the Boston Bruins 3-2 to snap the latter’s 10-game winning streak. Darnell Nurse tallied the winning goal late in the third period as the Oilers (36-22-8) hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 80 points. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist as the league-leading Bruins (103 points) are at 49-9-5.

An overtime goal by Brock Nelson completed a three-goal rally by the New York Islanders as they dumped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Anders Lee tallied twice and Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 shots as the Islanders (34-25-8) hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points, two ahead of the 32-22-10 Penguins as they remain in the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jeff Petry had two assists for the Penguins.

Patrick Kane scored his first goal for the New York Rangers as they downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on a shootout goal by Mika Zibanejad. Kane finished with two points while Artemi Panarin collected three assists for the 36-19-9 as the Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points. The 26-33-6 Canadiens have dropped five straight all by one goal.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Phillip Danault and Adrian Kempe each scored twice to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Anze Kopitar had three assists, Joonas Korpisalo had 28 saves and Trevor Moore collected an assist in his return to the lineup for the 38-20-8 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 84 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche (35-22-6) as they cling to third place in the Central Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Avalanche, there’s concern over whether captain Gabriel Landeskog will return in time for the 2023 playoffs. He’s still recovering from the knee injury that has sidelined him for the entire season thus far.

An overtime goal by Alec Martinez lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jonathan Quick made 32 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (39-20-6) hold first place in the Pacific (84 points) with a game in hand over the Kings. Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov each had three points for the slumping Lightning (38-21-6) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on a shootout goal by Timo Meier. Dawson Mercer extended his points streak to 11 games with a goal and an assist as the Devils (42-16-6) as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. The Capitals sank to 31-28-7 (69 points) and sit five points behind the Penguins for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0. Andrei Svechnikov’s first-period goal held up as the winner as the Hurricanes improved to 43-12-8 and sit second in the overall standings with 94 points. Felix Sandstrom made 28 saves for the 24-30-11 Flyers.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken thanks to third-period goals by Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat. With 70 points, the 33-27-4 Senators are four points behind the Penguins. Jared McCann tallied twice for the Kraken (37-22-6) as their five-game win streak came to an end. They sit third in the Pacific Division with 80 points.

Arizona Coyotes goalie Ivan Prosvetov kicked out 39 shots for his first NHL win to beat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Clayton Keller collected two assists for the 23-32-10 Coyotes while the Predators (31-24-7) are six points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth with 69 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov will be sidelined for three to four weeks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov is the Wild’s leading scorer with 39 goals and 74 points. He’s their main offensive engine so losing him is a significant setback as they jockey for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. How they adapt to his absence will be a big test that could decide their postseason hopes in the very close Western standings.

SPORTSNET: cited a report by Sportico indicating nine different groups have submitted bids to purchase the Ottawa Senators. Some of those bids value the franchise at over $900 million USD.

The list of potential buyers is expected to be narrowed down within the next several days. The Remington Group (a Toronto-based real estate developer) and billionaire Michael Andlauer (minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens) are among the most prominent bidders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears the league hasn’t had any difficulty finding suitors willing to pay big bucks to purchase the Senators. Eugene Melnick, the club’s late owner, paid $92 million USD to purchase the team in 2003. Accounting for inflation, that would be worth nearly $150 million in 2023.

TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins are planning upgrades to PPG Arena for 2023-24 starting at the conclusion of this season. They include a new video board, LED ribbon boards, sound system, control room, and content management system.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2023

by | Mar 9, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – March 9, 2023

What could the future hold for Flyers winger Travis Konecny, Ducks goalie John Gibson and Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR KONECNY, GIBSON AND SCHMALTZ?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun looked ahead at what the offseason could hold for several notable NHL players, including Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson and Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz.

LeBrun believes the Flyers could entertain trade offers ahead of the June draft for Konecny, who has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. It doesn’t mean they’ll trade him but they could look at what his market value might be. LeBrun said he knew of at least one playoff contender that was planning to make an aggressive trade offer before Konecny go hurt.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny could be the Flyers’ best trade chip this summer but that depends on what their plans are going forward. Are they continuing to “aggressively retool” or will they finally engage in a roster rebuild? If it’s the latter, he could fetch the type of return that could help them over the long term.

Turning to Gibson, LeBrun reports most teams still view the 30-year-old goalie as a difference maker. He’s halfway through his eight-year contract with a $6 million AAV and a 12-team no-trade clause. LeBrun believes Gibson could agree to a trade to a playoff contender. There wasn’t much interest in him at the trade deadline but LeBrun thinks some teams could contact the Ducks during the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gibson’s contract (especially the annual cap hit) is a sticking point, especially given his less-than-stellar numbers in recent years, though in fairness those can be attributed in part to the depleted roster in front of him. I don’t doubt that some teams could come calling but they’ll either want the Ducks to retain half of that cap hit or take back a toxic contract in return.

The Arizona Coyotes weren’t able to move Nick Schmaltz despite his nearly point-per-game pace over the past couple of seasons and reasonable $5.85 million AAV. LeBrun believes it’s because the final three years of his contract are backloaded, meaning Schmaltz will earn $8.15 million in actual salary per season during that period. It could take a deep-pocketed team that likes the player to take him off the Coyotes’ hands.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schmaltz’s injury history is also a concern. He missed 43 regular-season games in 2018-19, nine playoff games in 2020, 19 games last season and 16 games this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2023

by | Mar 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2023

Wild extend points streak by downing the Jets, Tony DeAngelo receives a two-game suspension, an update on the sale of the Senators and Hall-of-Famer Henri Richard suffered from CTE. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild extended their points streak to 11 games (9-0-2) by doubling up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 46 saves and Marcus Foligno had a goal and an assist as the Wild (37-21-7) held second place in the Central Division with 81 points. Nino Niederreiter and Logan Stanley replied for the Jets (36-26-3) as they’ve won only twice in their last 10 games and sit in the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 75 points.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Wild as Kirill Kaprizov left the game midway through the third period after Stanley fell on him. There was no postgame update on his condition. Speaking of the Wild, forward Ryan Hartman was fined $4,594.59 for slashing Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson on Tuesday.

The Jets, meanwhile, played without center Pierre-Luc Dubois due to an upper-body injury. It’s hoped he’ll rejoin the club at some point during its three-game road trip.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller scored twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Elias Pettersson collected two assists as the Canucks improved to 27-32-5 on the season. Lukas Dostal made 31 saves for the Ducks as they dropped to 21-35-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Canucks, they recently re-signed defenseman Guillaume Brisebois to a two-year contract extension.

The Detroit Red Wings snapped a six-game losing skid by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Lucas Raymond and Dominik Kubalik tallied third-period goals as the Wings (29-26-9) rallied for the win. Taylor Raddysh tallied twice for the 22-37-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri left the game in the first period following an inadvertent knee-on-knee collision with Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson. No word postgame regarding his condition.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo received a two-game suspension for spearing Tampa Bay Lightning winger Corey Perry on Tuesday.

San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn was fined $25,000.00 for comments that demeaned officials resulting in a game misconduct last Saturday.

OTTAWA SUN: Sources reveal the league received at least three bids for the Senators and possibly a fourth. There could be more as league commissioner Gary Bettman recently said as many as 15 groups were given permission to examine the franchise’s finances.

The Remington Group (a Toronto-based real estate development corporation), billionaire Michael Andlauer (part-owner of the Montreal Canadiens and sole owner of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs), and the Kimel Family (one of Southern Ontario’s biggest real-estate developers) are believed to have made bids for the franchise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whoever wins the bidding and purchases the Senators do so with the understanding that the franchise will not be relocated to another city. The club is currently working on a plan that would bring about the construction of a new arena close to downtown Ottawa.

Speaking of the Senators, goaltender Cam Talbot has been sidelined for three weeks with a “mid-body injury.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill missed practice yesterday with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov on an emergency basis after backup Antti Raanta left Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens with an injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied the league has any plans afoot to expand to 34 teams. His comments come following cryptic tweets by ESPN’s John Buccigross and Kevin Weekes last week showing images of Houston and Atlanta.

“Expansion isn’t our priority right now,” wrote Daly. However, he didn’t rule out the league listening to groups who have interest, including Atlanta and Houston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wouldn’t rule out further NHL expansion but I have my doubts they can make it work in Atlanta again. They tried it twice and both times the franchises struggled to draw fans.

TVA SPORTS: A study of the brain of the late Hall-of-Famer Henri Richard revealed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Richard died in 2020 after suffering from cognitive impairment during the last years of his life. The condition is caused by blows to the head.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly rejected the link regarding blows to the head and CTE. This report will likely do little to change his mind.