Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 16, 2023

by | Apr 16, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 16, 2023

Updates on the Flyers and Capitals plus the latest on Erik Karlsson, Jake Guentzel and Joel Edmundson in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

UPDATES ON THE FLYERS AND CAPITALS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi reported Flyers forward Kevin Hayes dropped hints suggesting he might be traded this summer during his end-of-season interview with the media on Friday. “I picked up the message that was sent months ago,” he said. “I’m OK with it. It’s their decision.”

Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes (NHL Images).

The 30-year-old center believes the Flyers intend to get younger and free up salary-cap space. He’s signed for three more seasons with an annual cap hit of $7.1 million. He believes the decision on his future has already been made and expects to find out by the draft.

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor reports Tony DeAngelo wants to remain with the Flyers but he’s keeping mum as to why he was scratched from the final games of the season.

“I’m sure there’s reasons for it, but nothing that either of us are obviously willing to discuss,” DeAngelo said, referring to head coach John Tortorella. Given how the blueliner’s season ended, O’Connor believes it’s fair to wonder if he’ll be back with the Flyers next season.

Speaking of Flyers defensemen, O’Connor noted Ivan Provorov offered up a lukewarm response regarding the direction of the club and his role on the roster. It was rumored back in January that he wasn’t happy with the reduction of his ice time, the club’s struggles and its embrace of a rebuilding strategy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It sounds like Hayes is going to be shopped this summer. It wouldn’t be surprising if GM Daniel Briere dangles DeAngelo as a trade chip and entertains offers for Provorov.

The New York Post’s Larry Brooks suggested DeAngelo could be bought out of the final year of his contract. He also pointed out that going that route with Hayes won’t be as simple given the six years of cap penalties. Then again, eating half of his contract to facilitate a trade would be more costly over the next three years than a buyout.

As I noted back in December when talk of a Hayes buyout first surfaced, going that route would leave the Flyers paying out $16.5 million over six years with most of it paid out in the first three years. Retaining half in a trade leaves them carrying $3.57 million in dead cap space per season for three years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reported Friday that the Washington Capitals intend to waste little time kicking off a busy offseason. Coming off this year’s trade deadline as a seller, the club intends to continue retooling and reworking its roster this summer.

There are questions regarding center Evgeny Kuznetsov and winger Anthony Mantha following the decline in their respective performances this season. GM Brian MacLellan must decide if he’ll attempt to move them and bring in other top-six players to replace them or keep them for next season and see how they perform under a new head coach.

Kuznetsov didn’t talk much during the Capitals locker clean-out day, saying he needed more time to digest a disappointing campaign. The 30-year-old center did admit to playing through an injury but wouldn’t speculate as to whether he could be traded.

MacLellan, however, expressed his dismay with Kuznetsov’s underwhelming performance this season. Silber suggested the center could become a trade chip.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov is signed through 2024-25 with an average annual value of $7.8 million and a 10-team no-trade list. The decline in his stats this season will make that contract harder to move.

Mantha, meanwhile, lacks no-trade protection and has a year left on his deal worth $5.7 million. Like Kuznetsov, however, the drop in his production this season hurts his trade value.

LATEST ON KARLSSON, GUENTZEL AND EDMUNDSON

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka believes the biggest question of the offseason for the San Jose Sharks is whether Erik Karlsson will be back next season. Given the 32-year-old defenseman’s career-best performance this season, their asking price will be high for teams interested in acquiring him.

What Karlsson wants to do is also important. He stressed that he wants to win but Pashelka wondered if upgrades to the Sharks’ roster through the draft as well as trades and free agency might give the blueliner optimism that they’ll be competitive sooner rather than later.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Expect the Karlsson trade rumors to start again in June as we get close to the NHL Draft later that month.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Mark Madden believes Jake Guentzel’s future will be among the priorities facing the Pittsburgh Penguins’ new general manager. The 28-year-old winger is heading into the final year of his contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million.

The new GM will have to decide whether to sign Guentzel to a contract extension this summer or trade him. Madden feels they can’t risk losing him to free agency next summer. He carries a 12-team no-trade list and would fetch a good return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The coming offseason will be an interesting one for the Penguins following their recent front-office firings. If they’re retooling, they’ll likely re-sign Guentzel. If it’s a rebuild, perhaps the winger becomes a trade chip to bring in a return that starts restocking their depleted prospect pipeline.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan recently reported Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson hopes he’ll be back next season. He probably would’ve been moved at the trade deadline if he hadn’t been sidelined at various times earlier in the season by injuries.

Edmundson has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million. He stayed healthy and played well over the final 22 games of the season, which might pique the interest of other clubs in this summer’s trade market. However, he probably won’t fetch as much as he would’ve at the trade deadline.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2023

by | Apr 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 16, 2023

The three stars from the final week of the regular season are announced, notable news from locker clean-out day for eliminated clubs, and notable updates involving several playoff teams in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THREE STARS OF THE FINAL WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns and Vegas Golden Knight goaltender Laurent Brossoit are the three stars for the week ending April 14

NOTABLE NEWS FROM LOCKER CLEAN-OUT DAY FOR ELIMINATED TEAMS

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson once again emphasized that he still likes playing for the Sharks but winning remains his priority. He once again shrugged off the trade rumors dogging him throughout this season, adding that he’s focusing on the present. Karlsson intends to take some time to enjoy himself and resume training for next season.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson is handling this diplomatically as he has all season but that won’t make the trade speculation disappear. There were teams interested in him but his hefty contract proved difficult to move during the season. It’s expected trade chatter involving Karlsson will pick up in June when teams have more cap space to work with for next season.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau vowed to bounce back next season from his lackluster performance in 2022-23. Following a career-best 115-point performance last season with the Florida Panthers, he managed just 55 points this season with the Flames.

“I didn’t lose my talent in five months. I’m not a different player from what I was last season,” said Huberdeau. He acknowledged that he found it challenging playing under head coach Darryl Sutter’s system and struggled to adjust to playing right wing after spending his career on the left side.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Moving to Calgary after 10 seasons with the Panthers likely required some adjustment for Huberdeau. Struggling to play up to expectations after signing an eight-year contract extension worth $10.5 million annually was probably another factor that affected his play.

THE PROVINCE: Six months after injuring his left hand and several surgeries later, Vancouver Canucks winger Tanner Pearson is trying to get his career and life back on track. He didn’t comment about the quality of care he received from the Canucks but it’s expected he’ll file a grievance against the club with the help of the NHL Players’ Association. “I’m just trying to get my hand back,” he said.

Canucks winger Brock Boeser made it clear that he wants to continue his career in Vancouver. “To be completely honest with you, I don’t want to be traded,” he said. The 26-year-old winger struggled through a difficult first half following the death of his father last year, sparking speculation that he would be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rumors seemed to suggest that the Canucks were listening to offers for Boeser but they weren’t actively shopping him. They could move him for the right price as they’re reportedly looking to garner salary-cap flexibility for next season but they could consider other options before going that route.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers winger Cam Atkinson is looking forward to 2023-24 after missing all of this season with a herniated disc in his neck that required surgery after a few misdiagnoses and conflicting information from doctors. Despite the confusion at the start of his recovery, Atkinson said he has full confidence in the Flyers’ medical staff and is feeling better now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report noted that head coach John Tortorella said earlier in the season that the club was focused on increasing trust between the players and the medical staff after a new head trainer was brought in.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie revealed he underwent a minor procedure to address lingering back issues. He’s looking forward to a full summer of training, claiming he’s feeling good and is optimistic moving forward.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Penguins forward Jeff Carter said he and his family love living in Pittsburgh and he intends to finish the final season of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bang goes the fantasy of those Penguins fans hoping the club’s new management would convince the 38-year-old Carter to waive his no-movement clause. They could buy him out but because it’s a 35-plus contract they won’t get any cap relief from doing so.

THE ATHLETIC’s Aaron Portzline reports Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins won’t be playing for Latvia in next month’s IIHF World Championships. He’s at a career crossroads after struggling this season and is putting his offseason focus on preparing for 2023-24.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris will be spending the summer preparing for next season after undergoing shoulder surgery in January…Defenseman Thomas Chabot revealed he fractured a bone and tore ligaments in his wrist…Blueliner Travis Hamonic injured the meniscus and medial collateral ligament in his right knee late in the season…Rearguard Jakob Chychrun was sidelined by a hamstring injury.

PLAYOFF NOTES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins center David Krejci returned to practice on Saturday after missing the last six games of the regular season. However, captain Patrice Bergeron skipped practice for precautionary reasons as he’s still feeling the effects of an upper-body injury suffered on Thursday.

Winger Brad Marchand left practice for precautionary reasons after experiencing some soreness. Meanwhile, Nick Foligno and Derek Forbort resumed scrimmaging with their teammates.

TSN: New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier missed practice on Saturday due to food poisoning.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett missed the final 12 games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury but could return at some point in his club’s first-round series with the Bruins.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers said he was merely winded from a heavy hit by Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman, did not suffer a head injury, and is ready to play in Game 1 of his club’s first-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

TWINCITIES.COM: Speaking of the Wild, sidelined center Joel Eriksson Ek is progressing faster than expected after being listed as week-to-week following a lower-body injury suffered on April 6. He’s resumed skating, prompting speculation he might at least travel with the team as they start their first-round series this week against the Dallas Stars.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2023

by | Apr 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2023

Could trading Alex DeBrincat be among some notable offseason changes for the Senators? Will the Flames consider moving Elias Lindholm or Mikael Backlund? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DEBRINCAT’S STATUS AMONG OFFSEASON QUESTIONS FACING THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Alex DeBrincat is non-committal about a contract extension with the Senators. The 25-year-old winger said he’s “definitely open to anything” but he intends to discuss his future with his family and his agent.

Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat (NHL Images).

Garrioch believes that “doesn’t exactly scream that DeBrincat wants to be in Ottawa long-term, but the Senators need to find out one way or another before the NHL Draft in Nashville in June.”

TSN: Garrioch believes Senators general manager Pierre Dorion could look at trading DeBrincat if a long-term extension hasn’t been agreed to by the draft. He indicated that there have been no substantial discussions between Dorion and the DeBrincat camp.

Doiron indicated the Senators intended to make DeBrincat a $9 million qualifying offer even if there isn’t an extension in place. A restricted free agent this summer, the winger is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrincat didn’t close the door on a contract extension but his comments certainly don’t sound encouraging. I can’t see Dorion hanging onto him for another season in the vain hope of changing his mind only to lose him for nothing to next summer’s free-agent market.

Dorion looks foolish for not ensuring DeBrincat would sign an extension last summer before acquiring him from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Senators gave up three draft picks in that trade, including last year’s seventh-overall selection. That trade will have blown up in Dorion’s face if DeBrincat merely accepts the qualifying offer with the intent of testing the free-agent market in 2024.

However, the Senators GM can salvage this situation if he can get a solid return in a DeBrincat trade that provides immediate roster help. He’ll likely seek a comparable player rather than a top prospect or a first-round pick as the centerpiece of such a deal. DeBrincat could draw considerable interest given that most of the big names in this summer’s UFA market are past their prime.

Garrioch believes goaltender Cam Talbot and winger Austin Watson won’t be back. Both are pending UFAs this summer. Defenseman Nick Holden was informed by Dorion that he won’t be re-signed.

In an earlier column, Garrioch wrote that goaltending is the biggest need for the Senators to address this summer. He also felt that winger Alex Formenton should be traded if he isn’t brought back. He spent the season playing in Switzerland after he and the Senators failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Speaking of Dorion, Ken Warren believes it’s not a certainty he and head coach D.J. Smith will be back next season with new ownership expected to take over the club in the coming weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what happens to the front office and coaching staff once the sale of the Senators is completed. The new owner could keep them intact to evaluate the club’s performance next season. Then again, perhaps they’ll come in looking to make sweeping changes in the management office and behind the bench.

COULD THE FLAMES SHOP BACKLUND AND LINDHOLM?

TSN/CALGARY SUN: Salim Valji and Wes Gilbertson reported Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm sounded non-committal about re-signing with the Calgary Flames by next summer. Both forwards are slated to become unrestricted free agents in July 2024 along with winger Tyler Toffoli and defensemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov.

Backlund, 34, said he loved Calgary and the Flames but he wants to win the Stanley Cup, adding he didn’t know what would happen if the club makes a contract extension offer this summer. Gilbertson noted Backlund’s long pause before answering a question about an extension raised eyebrows.

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Lindholm replied, “We’ll see what happens. I’ve got one more year. Gotta look at it that way. I have one more year and that’s all I can say.” Gilbertson doesn’t feel that’s a “bring-me-a-pen proclamation”.

Valji noted that Zadorov and Toffoli were more upbeat as they expressed a willingness to get something done regarding their contracts. They also praised head coach Darryl Sutter, whose handling of the roster sparked questions among fans and media over his relationship with the players.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Randy Sportak suggested the comments coming from the Flames’ top two centers could force the club to finally bite the bullet and consider a roster rebuild. He believes it’ll be difficult to retain all their pending UFAs even if Toffoli, Zadorov, Tanev and Hanifin expressed a desire to stay.

A tough decision would be moving some of those veterans to retool the organization rather than stage a full rebuild like the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks. A tougher one would be stripping it down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportak raises a good point that the Flames face a crossroads this season. They could keep everyone and hope for a bounce-back performance next season. Over the long run, however, a veteran-laden team can be a drain on the salary cap and make it difficult to make room for younger talent.

Much will depend on the fate of general manager Brad Treliving, whose contract expires at the end of this season. Treliving invested heavily in this roster and could be reluctant to retool if he stays on the job. If he and the Flames part ways, his replacement could opt to shake things up.

As I’ve said before, we could be seeing another summer of change in Calgary.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2023

by | Apr 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2023

Reaction to the Penguins firing Ron Hextall and Brian Burke, the Capitals parting ways with head coach Peter Laviolette, the Ducks firing coach Dallas Eakins, and much more from a busy final day of the regular season in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon finished the regular season with a hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. With the win, the Avalanche clinch the Central Division title and face the Seattle Kraken in the opening round of the 2023 playoffs starting Tuesday in Denver. The Dallas Stars sit second in the Central and will square off against the Minnesota Wild starting Monday in Dallas.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

The Buffalo Sabres closed out their season by downing the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Jeff Skinner scored a goal and collected two assists while Devon Levi made 29 saves for his fifth win in seven starts. Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen raised questions about his future with the club following the game. He said he loved his job despite the challenging year the Jackets faced. However, he indicated there are “a lot of things to sort through and a lot of things to think through in a year like this.”

Portzline also reported Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen texted him saying Larsen had not been informed postgame that he’d been fired. Earlier in the week, Kekalainen said his coaching staff would not be judged on its record because of the injuries that ravaged the roster this season.

**UPDATE** The Blue Jackets officially relieved Larsen of his duties this morning and announced the contract of goalie coach Manny Legace won’t be renewed. 

HEADLINES

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins fired general manager Ron Hextall, president of hockey operations Brian Burke and assistant GM Chris Pryor on Friday after little more than two years on the job.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This wasn’t shocking given the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The status of head coach Mike Sullivan and his staff will be determined by Hextall’s replacement.

Pundits are wasting little time speculating over possible candidates for the Penguins general manager job. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, former Sabres GM Jason Botterill, and Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky are among the notables suggested as potential options.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals and head coach Peter Laviolette have agreed to part ways after three seasons. Laviolette’s contract expires at the end of this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2014 in part because of their injury-depleted roster. Nevertheless, they failed to show much progress toward returning to Stanley Cup contention over the previous two seasons.

Part of that is because of how the Capitals’ roster is constructed. However, Laviolette seemed unable to develop their promising younger players or get better results from struggling players like Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks decided not to renew the contract of head coach Dallas Eakins after four seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks GM Pat Verbeek inherited Eakins when he took over midway through last season. Verbeek gave him a year but it’s apparent he wants his own man behind the bench as part of the club’s rebuild.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues announced they relieved Mike Van Ryn and Craig MacTavish of their duties as assistant coaches.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with their roster, the Blues seek to retool rather than overhaul their coaching staff.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Good news for the New York Islanders as they prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the upcoming playoffs. Mathew Barzal has rejoined his teammates for practice for the first time since being sidelined on Feb. 18 with a lower-body injury.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (lower body) was placed on injured reserve as his club prepares for their approaching first-round series with the Boston Bruins.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild intend to ride Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson as a true goalie tandem during the coming playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury has the experience and more games played (46) this season but Gustavsson has better stats and saw action in 39 contests.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens executive VP of hockey operations Jeff Gorton laughed off a rumor claiming he might be interested in a GM job elsewhere. “Why, are you sick of me already?,” he said, adding “I’m coming back, yes. Those were just rumors.”

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said his club must do a better job getting its players to be more forthright with the team regarding injuries.

It was revealed that Brendan Gallagher played eight games on a broken ankle before missing 13 games. He played three games following his return before breaking the same ankle and missing 45 games. Meanwhile, Sean Monahan admitted playing on a broken foot for several games led to his season-ending groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens led the league in man games lost to injuries for the second straight season. Part of that is due to the longstanding tradition among NHL players to try to play through serious injuries to help their team.

It’s a mindset based on the bad old days of the Original Six era when players had little choice but to play through injuries or risk being replaced and demoted to the minors. That’s no longer the case today. Nevertheless, the tradition continues because of the mythology of the toughness of NHL players that are celebrated throughout the league.

The downside, of course, is that it merely makes things worse for the player as his effectiveness is hampered. The injury eventually worsens forcing them from the lineup for much longer than they would’ve been had they allowed themselves time to properly heal. This also comes with the risk of shortening the player’s career.

The Canadiens aren’t the only team facing this problem. It’s time for teams to do a better job educating their coaches and players on the adverse effect that playing through serious injuries can have on their health and careers.

A new contract for Canadiens winger Cole Caufield doesn’t seem imminent. The 22-year-old sniper said there isn’t a rush on either side right now but claims he’s unconcerned about it. “The deal’s going to get done when it gets done,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The longer Caufield goes unsigned this summer the more media speculation will ramp up about his future. He’s a restricted free agent coming off an entry-level contract with no arbitration rights. A rival club could swoop in with an offer sheet after June 30 but that’s a long shot at best given how seldom such deals are made.

There’s plenty of time for the Canadiens and the Caufield camp to get a deal done. If he’s still unsigned when training camp opens in September, then it may be time for Habs fans to worry about his future in Montreal.

NHL.COM: The league announced the odds for the participants in the 2023 draft lottery on May 8. The Anaheim Ducks have the best odds at 18.5 percent, followed by the Columbus Blue Jackets at 13.5 percent and Chicago Blackhawks at 11.5 percent. You can see the odds for the remaining 13 teams by clicking the link provided.

CAP FRIENDLY: As part of the conditions of the Timo Meier trade, the San Jose Sharks will receive the New Jersey Devils’ 2023 first-round pick.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2023

by | Apr 14, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – April 14, 2023

What could the future look like for Jonathan Toews? What’s the latest on the Kings’ Anze Kopitar and Joonas Korpisalo? Could the Oilers shop Evan Bouchard this summer? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR JONATHAN TOEWS?

TSN: Jonathan Toews has played his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks but Chris Johnston isn’t sure that it means it’s the end of his NHL playing career. The 34-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

Toews’ health will be the deciding factor. He missed a recent season with some long COVID symptoms but Johnston believes that the now-former Blackhawks captain is determined to continue his career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve previously noted, Toews turns 35 on April 29, making him eligible to sign a one-year, bonus-laden contract with a low base salary if he’s determined to continue his playing career. I think there will be teams interested in him this summer if he’s willing to accept such a deal.

THE LATEST KINGS SPECULATION

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos reports of lots of speculation over what the future holds for Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar when his contract expires at the end of next season. He’ll be 37 by that point and Kypreos claims he “quietly remains uncommitted to the Kings past next year.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see this as an issue for the Kings. Their 35-year-old captain is once again their leading scorer with 74 points (though he would’ve finished second had Kevin Fiala not missed some time due to injury) and remains their best two-way forward. Both sides are likely willing to wait and see how things go next season before opening contract extension talks.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes it’s “certainly possible” that the Kings re-sign trade deadline acquisition Joonas Korpisalo. The 28-year-old goaltender had a .921 save percentage in 11 starts with the Kings (7-3-1). There’s been a couple of short conversations with Korpisalo’s agent but both sides agreed to wait until after the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltending was an issue for the Kings this season given Jonathan Quick’s decline and Cal Petersen’s struggles. Pheonix Copley played well and earned a one-year contract extension but their acquisition of Korpisalo at the deadline signaled their concern about their depth between the pipes.

A strong playoff performance by Korpisalo will entice the Kings to re-sign him. Dollars and terms, however, will be the sticking points. The club could prefer an affordable short-term deal but the pending UFA netminder could prefer something more lucrative.

COULD THE OILERS SHOP BOUCHARD?

OILERS NATION: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said he doesn’t see a path for a long-term contract for Evan Bouchard. He believes the Edmonton Oilers would prefer a bridge deal for the 23-year-old defenseman in the range of two years worth between $3.5 million and $4.5 million annually.

If Bouchard is unwilling to sign a bridge deal, Seravalli doesn’t see it out of the realm of possibility that the Oilers trade the blueliner this summer. It’s not something they want to do but they are dealing with a tight salary cap.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard reached the 40-point plateau for the second straight season. Coming off his entry-level contract, he’s in line for a significant raise. However, he also lacks arbitration rights. If he genuinely wants to remain with the Oilers, he’ll have to accept the bridge deal with the promise of a much bigger payday on his next contract, when he’ll have the leverage of arbitration.

The Oilers could trade Bouchard if he digs in his heels this summer but I doubt it’ll get that far. They’ll likely move out a defenseman like Cody Ceci or Brett Kulak in a cost-cutting deal this summer to free up additional cap space for next season. They won’t want to further weaken their blueline by shopping Bouchard.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

by | Apr 14, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 14, 2023

The Golden Knights and Hurricanes clinch division titles as six first-round playoff series matchups are confirmed, Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point reach goal-scoring milestones, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights finished first overall in the Western Conference and clinched the Pacific Division crown after beating the Seattle Kraken 3-1. Vegas will face off against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs starting on Tuesday, April 18. The Kraken, meanwhile, will face the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars depending on the outcome of Friday’s game between the Avalanche and Nashville Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken will be playing without winger Andre Burakovsky for at the first two rounds of the playoffs if they make it that far. He underwent surgery on Tuesday for a lower-body injury that has sidelined him since Feb. 7.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

As for the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen scored to set the club’s single-season record of 55 goals as they doubled up Winnipeg 4-2. They also announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss the entirety of the 2023 playoffs with a knee injury. Meanwhile, Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s not in concussion protocol and will be reevaluated on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen set the Avalanche single-season record. Michel Goulet still holds the overall franchise record (57) dating back to the club’s days as the Quebec Nordiques. Landeskog, meanwhile, has been sidelined all season by that knee injury, which could also keep him out of the start of next season.

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title with a 6-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. Brent Burns scored twice for the Hurricanes, who will meet the New York Islanders in their opening-round series starting Monday, April 17. The Panthers will square off against the Boston Bruins starting Monday.

Speaking of the Bruins, they finished their Presidents’ Trophy-winning season with a record-setting 65 wins and 135 points after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron left the game for precautionary reasons with an upper-body injury but is expected to be good to go when the playoffs open on Monday. Bruins goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman won the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals against (177) this season.

For the first time since 2012, there will be a Battle of the Hudson River as the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will face each other in the first round starting on Tuesday. The Devils clinched second overall in the Metropolitan Division by nipping the Washington Capitals 5-4 while the Rangers fell 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Luke Hughes got the win for the Devils with his first career NHL goal while Leafs forward William Nylander reached the 40-goal plateau for the first time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs meet the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of last season’s opening-round series commencing Tuesday. For the fourth straight game, the Leafs went the amateur tryout route for a backup goaltender as Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov remain sidelined. Former UNB goalie Samuel Richard backed up Joseph Woll for this contest. Samsonov is expected to be the Leafs starter on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Lightning, Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 50-goal plateau for the first time (51) while Brian Elliott made 32 saves to shut out the Detroit Red Wings 5-0.

For the second straight year, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings face each other in an opening-round series. The Oilers clinched second place in the Pacific Division with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks while the Kings got a hat trick from Adrian Kempe to finish third in the division after downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-3. Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to finish the season with 64 goals and 153 points, winning his first Richard Trophy as the season’s leading goal scorer and his fifth Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman have collected more points in a single season than McDavid. Speaking of the Ducks, they finished last in the overall standings, giving them the best odds of winning the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery on May 8.

The Dallas Stars shut out the St. Louis Blues 1-0. Jake Oettinger kicked out 25 shots while Wyatt Johnston scored the only goal for the Stars, who will face the Minnesota Wild or the Kraken in the opening round next week. The Wild, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Nashville Predators. Frederick Gaudreau tallied twice for the Wild, who announced before the game that they re-signed him to a five-year, $10.5 million contract extension.

An overtime goal by Ivan Provorov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Travis Konecny scored twice and added two assists while Jonathan Toews scored in his last game with the Blackhawks as they announced yesterday that he will not be re-signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the end of an era for the Blackhawks. Following the game, Toews thanked the franchise, its fans and the city of Chicago, receiving a long, heartfelt ovation from the hometown crowd. Meanwhile, Flyers defenseman Justin Braun said this game was likely his last as a player after 13 seasons.

Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller collected an assist to tie Keith Tkachuk’s franchise single-season record of 86 points in a 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Conor Garland had a hat trick for the Canucks, including the winning goal.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson announced his retirement after winning his final start by beating the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on an overtime goal by Casey Mittelstadt. The 41-year-old Anderson’s career lasted 20 seasons, including nine with the Senators as their franchise leader with 435 games played and 202 wins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau netted the winning goal while Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists to finish the season with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry revealed he’d been hampered by an injury throughout the season. That’s raising questions among the Pittsburgh media over why management didn’t attempt to acquire a healthy goaltender before the trade deadline.