NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2023

by | Feb 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 18, 2023

The Maple Leafs acquire Ryan O’Reilly in a three-team trade, Connor McDavid reaches the 100-point plateau again, Patrick Kane reaches a scoring milestone, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MAPLE LEAFS ACQUIRE RYAN O’REILLY

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Wild.

“The Blues received the rights to forward prospect Josh Pillar from the Wild for O’Reilly, then traded him and Acciari to the Maple Leafs for Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators’ third-round pick this year, Toronto’s second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette.

Minnesota received Toronto’s fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.”

CAP FRIENDLY: The Blues retained 50 percent of O’Reilly’s $7.5 million cap hit with the Wild and Leafs each taking on 25 percent.

The St. Louis Blues ship Ryan O’Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a three-team trade (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Of the previous moves made by Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas leading up to the annual trade deadline, this one is the biggest. O’Reilly was among this season’s top trade candidates. The 32-year-old center is a former winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy the Selke Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy. He is considered among the league’s elite two-way forwards despite the decline in his production this season and a broken foot that sidelined him for nearly six weeks.

I admire the creativity of Dubas and his capologist in finding a way to land a notable player despite carrying limited cap space. It’s the second time he’s gone the three-team trade route, with his previous effort being the 2021 acquisition of Nick Foligno.

Leafs fans will be hoping that the O’Reilly deal has better results than the Foligno trade. So will Dubas, whose future as Leafs GM could be determined by his club’s performance over the remainder of this season and in the playoffs.

O’Reilly should help the Leafs at both ends of the rink. Acciari, meanwhile, is a good bottom-six winger who should help their penalty kill. However, I remain concerned about their blueline and goaltending depth in their quest to get over the postseason hump.

The Blues roster rebuild (retool?) continues just over a week after they shipped Vladimir Taransenko to the New York Rangers. They now have three first-round picks and two third-rounders in this year’s draft as well as two second-round selections and two fourth-rounders in the 2024 draft. The Blues also receive a veteran depth forward in Gaudette for the rest of this season plus a young center in Abramov who might have a future in St. Louis.

Wild GM Bill Guerin used his cap space to buy himself a fourth-round pick. He still has over $12.8 million in projected trade deadline cap room to make other deals before the March 3 deadline.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to become the first player this season to reach 100 points in a 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Rangers. Alexis Lafreniere tallied the game-winner and Chris Kreider scored twice in regulation as the Rangers overcame a 4-1 deficit. Winners of seven straight, the Rangers (33-14-8) sit one point behind the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has now reached the 100-point mark six times in eight years. It’s also the fifth time he’s been the first player in a season to reach that plateau, sitting behind Mario Lemieux and Phil Esposito (six teams each) and Wayne Gretzky (nine times).

The Oilers activated winger Kailer Yamamoto off injured reserve. Rather than trade or waive Jesse Puljujarvi as many observers anticipated to make room for Yamamoto, they instead loaned Dylan Holloway and Vincent Desharnais to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane scored two goals as his club rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on an overtime goal by Andreas Athanasiou. Max Domi and Jake McCabe each had two assists for the 17-32-5 Blackhawks. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux scored for the Senators (26-24-4) as they sit seven points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 56 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane moved into third place among American-born NHL players with 1,217 points. He’s now 15 points behind Phil Housley for second overall but he has a long way to go yet to catch Mike Modano, who is 157 points ahead with 1,374.

Before the game, former Senator Chris Neil was honored by having his number 25 raised to the rafters in the Canadian Tire Centre. Neil is the third player in modern Senators history to have his number retired, joining Daniel Alfredsson and Chris Phillips.

Speaking of the Islanders, they overcame a 4-3 deficit on third-period goals by Brock Nelson and Zach Parise to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4. Ilya Sorokin kicked out 40 shots while Nelson and Anders Lee each scored two goals as the Islanders (28-23-7) vaulted over the Washington Capitals into the final Eastern wild-card spot with 63 points. Rickard Rakell tallied twice for the Penguins (27-18-9), who also have 63 points but sit in the first wild-card berth with four games in hand over the Isles.

The Minnesota Wild dimmed the Dallas Stars 2-1 on shootout goals by Frederick Gaudreau and Matt Boldy. Filip Gustavsson stopped 29 shots while Mats Zuccarello scored in regulation for the 29-21-5 Wild as they hold a two-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 63 points. Jamie Benn scored in regulation for the Stars (30-14-12) as they remain on top of the Western Conference with 72 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau said critical comments made on Twitter by his agent aimed at the club’s recent struggles didn’t represent his opinion about the club or head coach Darryl Sutter.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Huberdeau’s agent is Allan Walsh, who created a stir during the 2020 playoffs with a tweet insinuating that client Marc-Andre Fleury was being stabbed in the back by head coach Peter DeBoer. Fleury was the starting goalie for the Vegas Golden Knights while DeBoer was their head coach.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs moved goaltender Matt Murray to long-term injury reserve following the acquisition of Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari. Once third-string goaltender Joseph Woll is ready to return to the AHL, the Leafs will have enough room to activate Murray and his $4.6 million salary when he’s healthy again.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks placed winger Tanner Pearson on LTIR with a season-ending hand injury suffered on Nov. 9.

GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan tweeted that Arizona Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere could return to the lineup on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Gostisbehere’s been sidelined since Jan. 24 with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gostisbehere’s return will be watched closely by playoff contenders seeking an experienced puck-moving defenseman.

NJ.COM’s Ryan Novozinsky tweeted that the Devils sending Alexander Holtz to their AHL affiliate to the minors isn’t in anticipation of a trade but to give the young forward some game play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holtz has only appeared in 19 games this season and doesn’t see much ice time when he does play. I’ve mentioned him as a possible trade chip if they intend to pursue a notable winger such as San Jose’s Timo Meier at the trade deadline.

THE ATHLETIC: Nashville Predators 2021 first-round pick Zachary L’Heureux received a 10-game suspension by the QMJHL for poking at a fan with a stick following a Feb. 8 game.

Former NHL referee Tim Peel is accused of berating teenage youth hockey officials following a Jan. 15 game at St. Peters (Missouri) Rec-Plex.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 17, 2023

by | Feb 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 17, 2023

Could the Blues trade a defenseman? Are the Predators about to become sellers? What’s the latest on the Canadiens and Senators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE BLUES COULD SHOP A DEFENSEMAN

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the St. Louis Blues could give some consideration to moving a defenseman. Their top four of Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Nick Leddy all have no-trade clauses which could complicate things. Nevertheless, Parayko has been drawing the most interest among this group.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE Parayko, Krug and Faulk are each earning an average annual value of $6.5 million. Krug and Faulk are signed through 2026-27 and Parayko to 2029-30. Leddy’s AAV is $4 million through 2025-26.

I don’t doubt that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is willing to entertain offers for those four. As Dreger pointed out, however, they all have full no-trade clauses. It’s possible they could be moved but the potential destinations will be limited. Their cap hits could also prove difficult for most clubs to absorb unless Armstrong retains a portion, which I don’t see him doing for contracts with that much term remaining on them.

WILL THE PREDATORS BECOME TRADE DEADLINE SELLERS?

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Nashville Predators could become sellers by the March 3 trade deadline if they don’t soon get on a winning streak to salvage their playoff hopes. He believes GM David Poile could be willing to listen to offers on a lot of his players, including Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm or Mikael Granlund.

NHL WATCHER: cited Elliotte Friedman’s recent appearance on The Jeff Marek Show where he said he doesn’t think the Predators will move Ekholm or Alexandre Carrier. Instead, he speculated it could be Dante Fabbro “or something else”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news is those players all lack no-trade protection. The bad news is that all but Fabbro and Carrier have two years or more remaining on their respective contracts with annual salary-cap hits between $5 million and $8 million per season. Good luck peddling them before the March 3 trade deadline with so many teams carrying limited cap space. I doubt Poile is willing to retain salary on any of them.

Fabbro and Carrier would draw more interest given their more affordable cap hits. They’re both due to become restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer which could also make them enticing for clubs seeking more than a rental defenseman.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens could have difficulty drumming up interest in their trade candidates. Sean Monahan and Joel Edmundson are considered to have the most value but their respective injury histories have teams wary about acquiring them. There’s very little interest in Jonathan Drouin while winger Evgeni Dadonov’s improved play of late might draw attention as a secondary trade target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens got a first-round pick from the Flames last summer for taking Monahan off their hands so he’s already provided them with draft capital going forward. They also got value for Dadonov by acquiring him from the Vegas Golden Knights last summer as it enabled them to shed the entirety of the remainder of Shea Weber’s contract.

Edmundson is under contract through 2023-24 so the Canadiens can try again in the offseason or next season. There was talk of re-signing Sean Monahan before he was sidelined in December. If they can’t move him now, they could sign him to an affordable one-year deal and try again to peddle him if there’s real interest.

As for Drouin, his plethora of injuries and inconsistency torpedoed his trade value. Nevertheless, the Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos wondered if the Colorado Avalanche might look into reuniting Drouin with his old Halifax Mooseheads teammate Nathan MacKinnon. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators GM Pierre Dorion dismissed speculation suggesting he might trade winger Alex DeBrincat. He said the 26-year-old winger won’t be traded. “No chance,” said Dorion, adding the club still hopes to re-sign the pending restricted free agent before the end of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators gave up a lot to acquire DeBrincat last summer. Yes, it will be expensive to re-sign him but they’ll get it done, especially with new ownership soon to take over.

The Senators have received lots of calls regarding rugged forward Auston Watson. Dorion is willing to listen to offers for goaltender Cam Talbot, winger Tyler Motte and defenseman Nick Holden. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings have been linked to Talbot but his recent injury hasn’t helped drum up interest.

Dorion indicated he’s 99.9 percent certain that he’s not trading veteran center Derick Brassard. The club has been pleased with defenseman Travis Hamonic and likely won’t move him.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023

by | Feb 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 17, 2023

A hat-trick performance by Seth Jarvis as Hurricanes honor Cam Ward, the NHLPA name Marty Walsh as its new executive director, plus the latest on Thatcher Demko, Jesse Puljujarvi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Svechnikov collected three assists as the Hurricanes improved to 36-10-8 to sit second in the overall standings with 80 points. Montreal fell to 23-28-4 on the season. The Canadiens played without Kirby Dach as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored former goaltender Cam Ward by making him their first inductee into their Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. He spent 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy by backstopping them to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He holds the franchise’s single-season record for wins (39) and is their career leader in games played by a goalie (668), wins (318) and shutouts (27).

The Boston Bruins got a 28-save shutout performance by Jeremy Swayman to blank the Nashville Predators 5-0. Patrice Bergeron, Hampus Lindholm and Nick Foligno each had two points as the league-leading Bruins (41-8-5) opened a seven-point lead over the Hurricanes with 87 points. The Predators slipped to 25-21-6 (56 points) and sit five points behind the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier scored with 18 seconds remaining in regulation to lift his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Adin Hill made 25 saves for the win as the Golden Knights (33-18-4) won four straight and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 70 points. Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 38 shots for the Sharks as they dropped to 17-28-11.

Two goals and an assist by Yanni Gourde powered the Seattle Kraken over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-2. Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz each had two points for the 31-18-6 Kraken as they sit two points back of the Golden Knights in second place in the Pacific Division. Travis Konency scored twice for the Flyers as they slipped to 22-24-10.

The St. Louis Blues doubled up the New Jersey Devils 4-2 thanks to a 34-save performance by Jordan Binnington. Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist as the Blues improved to 26-25-3 (55 points) to sit six points out of the final Western wild-card spot. The Devils are 35-14-5 to sit five points behind the Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed winger Brandon Saad (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled winger Jake Neighbours from their AHL affiliate in Springfield.

Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Washington Capitals 6-3. Washington defenseman Erik Gustafsson collected three assists. The Panthers (28-24-6) and Capitals (28-23-6) each have 62 points but the Capitals hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Capitals announced winger Carl Hagelin underwent left hip resurfacing and is sidelined indefinitely.

Three-point performances by Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Dominik Kubalik tallied two goals for the Wings (26-20-8) as they moved two points behind the Capitals for the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Flames slipped to 25-19-11 and fell out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames’ inconsistency this season has raised questions and criticism of the club’s culture under head coach Darryl Sutter. He signed a two-year contract extension last October so he’s unlikely to be going anywhere for the time being.

Before the game, the Red Wings announced defenseman Olli Maatta signed a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3 million.

A 37-save performance by Joonas Korpisalo lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 upset of the Winnipeg Jets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the 17-34-4 Jackets while the Jets (34-20-1) remain two points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.

HEADLINES

NHLPA.COM: The NHL Players Association announced yesterday that its Executive Board unanimously appointed Martin (Marty) J. Walsh as its new Executive Director. Walsh is the former U.S. Secretary of Labor and the former mayor of Boston.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can read my thoughts on this hiring here.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko may have suffered a setback in his efforts to return from a lower-body injury suffered in early December. It’s believed he may have tweaked something during practice on Thursday. He’s slated to return to action on Saturday in a backup role.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kailer Yamamoto is expected to return to action on Friday against the New York Rangers. He’d been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 11. To fit him into the lineup, the Oilers will have to make a move that could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who did not practice on Thursday. He was expected to be placed on waivers but that didn’t happen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Could a much-anticipated trade involving Puljujarvi take place before tonight’s game against the Rangers? We’ll learn more soon enough.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve and Andy Andreoff has been recalled from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning founder Phil Esposito will join Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis as the inaugural inductees into the franchise’s Hall of Fame during its Alumni Weekend on March 16-18.

TSN: Former NHL defenseman and assistant coach Paul Jerrard died of cancer on Thursday at age 57. Jerrard played five games for the Minnesota North Stars in 1988-89 and spent the remainder of his 11 professional seasons in the minors. He became an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2002-03 as well as with the Dallas Stars from 2011 to 2013 and the Calgary Flames from 2016 to 2018. Since 2018-19, he’d been an assistant coach with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Jerrard’s family, friends, teammates and coaching colleagues.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 16, 2023

by | Feb 16, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 16, 2023

Check out the latest on Patrick Kane, Jakob Chychrun, Timo Meier, Vladislav Gavrikov, Jonathan Toews, James van Riemsdyk and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

PATRICK KANE

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane must let teams know where he’s willing to go (if anywhere) and allay concerns over his nagging hip injury.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Friedman thinks the Edmonton Oilers have reached out and the Dallas Stars have considered it. He also wondered about the Vegas Golden Knights while the Toronto Maple Leafs want to know if they’re in the mix.

TSN 1050: Carlo Colaiacovo recently said the people he’s spoken to regarding Patrick Kane claim the two teams on his trade list are the Rangers and Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has been playing of late like he’s still in a daze over the Rangers opting to acquire Vladimir Tarasenko instead of him. He seems to have acknowledged that his future isn’t in Chicago. The Rangers may have been his preferred choice, perhaps even his only one.

The Toronto Star’s Nick Kypreos believes Kane could shut it down this season for health reasons and focus on getting ready for next season. With the trade deadline just two weeks away, we’ll soon find out what his intentions are.

JAKOB CHYCHRUN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman looks at why Jakob Chychrun hasn’t been moved yet despite being held out of the lineup by the Arizona Coyotes since Saturday for trade-related reasons.

Rumors have tied Chychrun to the Los Angeles Kings but nothing’s happened yet.

One theory has the Kings made a standing offer that the Coyotes deem insufficient, while another has some contracts needed to be moved and the two clubs couldn’t make it work. The Kings have also made clear that they’re not moving top prospect Brandt Clarke or promising center Quinton Byfield.

Friedman looked at other possible trade partners for Chychrun. He said the Boston Bruins have considered the idea but he doesn’t know how likely that is. The Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets could be destinations but Chychrun probably wouldn’t be happy with going to a non-contender in Columbus. Meanwhile, the Oilers, Florida Panthers and Maple Leafs appear to be out of the running.

There was speculation that Karel Vejmelka would’ve been included in the trade. However, it’s believed adding him to the deal made it too complex.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun would be a great fit for the Kings. Coyotes management knows this, however, and seems to be trying to squeeze the Kings for a bigger return. Sufficient time remains before the March 3 trade deadline for the two sides to work something out or for another club to swoop in and meet the Coyotes’ asking price. For now, the waiting continues.

TIMO MEIER

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are pursuing San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier. The Maple Leafs have checked in and Friedman wonders about the Vegas Golden Knights and Bruins. The Dallas Stars have been mentioned but Friedman isn’t sure they can do it.

TORONTO STAR: Nick Kypreos also mentioned the Devils and Hurricanes but also wondered about the Winnipeg Jets. He points out they could have the fund to sign Meier to a contract extension with Pierre-Luc Dubois wanting out while Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler are on contracts that expire in 2024.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets coach Rick Bowness has praised Dubois’ performance and been quite vocal about his hope of convincing the center to re-sign. Maybe adding Meier and putting him on Dubois’ wing could convince the latter to stick around.

VLADISLAV GAVRIKOV

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Vladislav Gavrikov doesn’t make sense for the Kings unless he signs a contract extension. The Blue Jackets defenseman has drawn interest from the Bruins, Oilers and Leafs to some degree.

Mark Spector suggested Gavrikov and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson among his list of affordable trade options for the Oilers. They carry more affordable contracts than Chychrun or the San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson. However, the asking price is said to be a first- and a third-rounder for both.

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline believes the Blue Jackets set a first-round pick as part of their asking price for Gavrikov as a starting point but it could prove difficult to land one. They could also be in the market for a prospect or prospects, particularly at center. They could also retain part of Gavrikov’s $2.8 million cap hit or take back an unfavorable contract in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This could provide the Oilers with an opportunity to move Jesse Puljujarvi and get something in return. The Jackets will likely want a first-rounder or a high-quality prospect to take that contract off the cap-strapped Oilers’ hands. The same goes for the Bruins and Leafs if they want the Jackets to take on a contract in return.

MORE “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE RUMORS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports all remains quiet on the Jonathan Toews trade front until he returns to the roster. He’s currently sidelined by an illness.

There are lots of discussions about the Blackhawks’ defensemen but it’s quieter about the forwards. They haven’t found a club willing to meet their high asking price for Sam Lafferty. Meanwhile, there’s definitely a belief that Max Domi wants to stay in Chicago.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jake McCabe is the Blackhawks defenseman garnering the most interest. He carries a seven-team no-trade list that includes every Canadian team except the Maple Leafs.

Potential suitors for Philadelphia Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk include Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas and Winnipeg. Friedman doesn’t believe they want to move Travis Konecny unless they get a significant offer. Defenseman Nick Seeler has come up in rumors but the Flyers might not be in a hurry to move him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor believes the Flyers could get a conditional second/third-round pick for van Riemsdyk.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gotisbehere is among several options that could interest the Oilers. GM Ken Holland has said he’s wary of players with health issues, which is why Friedman thinks he’ll hesitate on Joel Edmundson or Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who’s drawn interest from Dallas and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For all the chatter about the Oilers looking into acquiring Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, that’s a move I don’t see happening until the offseason. His $11.5 million cap hit is simply too difficult to move right now plus we don’t know if he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to Edmonton. That’s why I see Holland considering more affordable options like Gostisbehere.

The Calgary Flames are looking for a winger who can create space for playmaking winger Jonathan Huberdeau as Anthony Duclair did in Florida. Friedman doesn’t see the Flames shopping MacKenzie Weegar but he wants to see how they feel about it later on.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I assume he’s referring to how they finish the season. He’s in the final season of his current contract with a $3.25 million annual cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. However, his eight-year, $50 million extension (with full no-trade protection) kicks in on July 1.

Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is believed looking for a forward. He could also attempt to add a defenseman but his roster is deeper on the blueline.

It’s believed the New York Rangers are seeking as high a draft pick as possible for winger Vitaly Kravtsov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: ESPN’s Kevin Weekes believes they could get a third-round pick or a prospect in exchange for Kravtsov.

The Wild could gauge the trade value of winger Jordan Greenway leading up to the March 3 trade deadline or at the June draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2023

by | Feb 16, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 16, 2023

A record-setting performance for Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram, Bally Sports financial woes could affect 12 NHL teams and Alex Ovechkin mourns his father’s death. Details on these and other stories in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A record-setting shutout performance by Connor Ingram carried the Arizona Coyotes to a 1-0 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ingram’s 47 saves were the most by a goalie in his first NHL shutout in league history. Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller scored in the shootout for the 19-28-8 Coyotes. Steven Stamkos replied in the shootout for the Lightning (35-16-3) as they dropped into third place in the Atlantic Division with 73 points.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning played without defenseman Erik Cernak as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2. William Nylander scored his 30th goal of the season and collected two points while Auston Matthews scored the winning goal in his return to action after missing five games with a sprained knee. With the win, the 33-14-8 Leafs vaulted over the Lightning into second place in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. The Blackhawks dropped to 16-32-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks placed captain Jonathan Toews on injured reserve. He’s been sidelined for five games by a non-COVID-related illness.

New York Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each scored two goals and collected an assist in a 6-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers (32-14-8) have won six straight and sit three points behind the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points. Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko each had two points for the Canucks as they fell to 21-30-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Curtis Lazar left this game with lower-body injuries. In his post-game interview, head coach Rick Tocchet said the severity of Ekman-Larsson’s injury was unknown but Lazar’s might not be serious.

The Colorado Avalanche got a 41-save performance from Alexandar Georgiev to hold off the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist as the Avalanche improved to 29-19-5 and remain third in the Central Division with 63 points. Kirill Kaprizov netted his 31st goal of the season for the Wild (28-21-5) as they’ve dropped five of their last six games and slipped out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned to the lineup after missing 31 games with a lower-body injury. Wild blueliner Calen Addison was a healthy scratch from this contest.

Shootout goals by David Perron and Pius Suter lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Dylan Larkin and Robby Fabbri each had a goal and an assist while Ville Husso turned aside 41 shots for the Red Wings (25-20-8) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 58 points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice and Connor McDavid collected two assists for the 30-19-6 Oilers as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings’ call-up Jakub Vrana was a healthy scratch from this game while defenseman Jake Walman remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a four-game losing skid by downing the Anaheim Ducks 7-3. Seven Sabres, including Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch, collected two points each as they improved to 27-22-4 to sit four points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 58 points. Cam Fowler tallied twice for the Ducks as they dropped to 17-32-6 on the season.

HEADLINES

ESPN.COM: The owner of Bally Sports regional networks skipped $140 million in interest payments due Wednesday, starting a 30-day grace period that could be the prelude to a bankruptcy filing.

Bally is owned by Diamond Sports Group, a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. It provides regional coverage to 12 NHL teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those 12 NHL teams are the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo tweeted yesterday that the NHL Board of Governors held an impromptu conference call to discuss the situation. No word yet from the league regarding the outcome of those talks.

This isn’t expected to affect regional coverage for the remainder of this season as the rights for those games were already paid before the start of the season. However, it will be a problem for next season and beyond if the league is left scrambling to find a replacement for Bally.

This won’t affect the salary cap for 2023-24 as that’s based on hockey-related revenue earned this season. However, it could have a substantial impact on the cap for 2024-25.

The salary cap is projected to increase by just $1 million for next season as the players still have to pay back the remainder of their escrow debt to the owners arising from the shortened seasons due to the pandemic. There is speculation suggesting the league and NHLPA perhaps reaching an agreement to increase it by up to five percent.

For 2024-25, the salary cap is forecast to jump to between $3.5 million and $4 million, rising to between $87.5 million and $88 million for 2024-25. It is also projected to rise by $4 million in 2025-26 to $92 million. However, the potential hit to hockey-related revenue from losing Bally’s regional coverage could adversely affect those projections.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Mikey Anderson to an eight-year, $33-million contract extension on Wednesday. The average annual value will be $4.125 million starting in 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a reasonable cap hit for Anderson, who is on a one-year, $1 million contract this season and was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

The 23-year-old defenseman is earning first-pairing minutes alongside Kings blueline stalwart Drew Doughty. He can move the puck, play a solid physical game in his own zone, and leads the Kings in short-handed ice time per game (2:26) this season.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin announced the death of his father Mikhail on Wednesday. He was 71 years old. Ovechkin will be away from the Capitals for an undetermined period of time.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Ovechkin and his family.










NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2023

by | Feb 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – February 15, 2023

Which teams are interested in Sharks winger Timo Meier? What’s the latest on Erik Karlsson, Vladislav Gavrikov and Luke Schenn? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DEVILS, HURRICANES, LEAFS AND GOLDEN KNIGHTS INTERESTED IN TIMO MEIER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the San Jose Sharks still haven’t yet granted permission to Timo Meier’s agent (Claude Lemieux) to speak directly to teams involved in trade talks with the Sharks. It sounds like it could depend on which team becomes the front-runner to acquire the 26-year-old Sharks winger, who is slated to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

LeBrun said there have been more discussions recently between the Sharks and New Jersey Devils, who’d love to sign Meier to a contract extension as part of a potential trade. The Carolina Hurricanes have also spoken with the Sharks and could be more willing to acquire Meier without worrying about a contract extension at this point. The Toronto Maple Leafs also remain interested in the Sharks winger.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox cited ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reporting the Vegas Golden Knights have joined the Devils, Hurricanes and Leafs in pursuit of a trade for Meier.

Fox believes the Leafs feel like the biggest long shot here. While they could fit Meier within this season’s salary-cap limitations if the Sharks retain half of his current $6 million cap hit, sorting out his future beyond this season is a problem for a team with considerable payroll already invested in their top-four forwards.

THE ATHLETIC: Jesse Granger is skeptical of the Golden Knights’ chances of landing one of this year’s top trade candidates such as Meier before the March 3 deadline. Apart from the salary cap ramifications, the Golden Knights’ limited prospect pool and available future trade capital make them unlikely to outbid other clubs for a big-ticket player.

Granger believes the Golden Knights will pursue more affordable options to bolster their forward depth. The Detroit Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi, St. Louis Blues winger Ivan Barbashev and the Edmonton Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi were among his suggested targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs and Golden Knights both appear to be long shots in the Meier sweepstakes. It could come down to the Devils or Hurricanes, though we can’t rule out another club not mentioned above jumping in with a surprise offer.

LATEST ON ERIK KARLSSON

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Edmonton Oilers are keeping tabs on San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. However, he considers the financial hurdles too overwhelming to clear. Karlsson carries an $11.5 million annual cap hit through 2026-27 meaning the Sharks would have to retain a sizeable chunk to make him more palatable for the Oilers.

LeBrun acknowledged the possibility of a three-team deal to spread Karlsson’s cap hit around and make him more affordable for the Oilers. However, he doubted the third party brokering the deal would want to have any portion of Karlsson’s cap hit on their books as dead cap space through 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like LeBrun, I think it would be really exciting if the Oilers could pull this off given the jolt it would send through the trade market leading up to the March 3 deadline. However, I share his opinion that a Karlsson trade is more likely to occur in the offseason when teams have more cap space and a willingness to spend. Even then, the Oilers will still face long odds to get him.

UPDATE ON GAVRIKOV

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline listed the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals as contenders in search of help on defense. He didn’t directly link them to VladislavGavrikov but feels the 27-year-old defenseman has played his last game for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who yesterday announced he was being held out of the lineup for trade-related reasons.

Portzline’s colleague Pierre LeBrun reports hearing the Edmonton Oilers have spoken to the Columbus Blue Jackets about Vladislav Gavrikov more than once. The Oilers are a “dollar-in, dollar-out” club and Gavrikov carries an affordable $2.8 million cap hit this season. LeBrun believes the math works if they can move winger Jesse Puljujarvi and his $3 million cap hit in a direct deal for Gavrikov or to another club in a separate move.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox believes the Maple Leafs have some level of interest in Gavrikov. However, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has said he won’t part with a first-round pick for a rental player. Gavrikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Bruins could also be among several clubs looking at acquiring Gavrikov. Friedman also mentioned the Leafs, Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings if they don’t acquire Arizona Coyotes blueliner Jakob Chychrun.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no shortage of interest in Gavirkov among playoff contenders seeking an affordable top-four left-side defenseman. However, TSN’s Chris Johnston pointed out that the Blue Jackets’ asking price is a sticking point.

The Jackets reportedly seek three draft picks: a first-rounder, a third and a fourth-rounder. I daresay those interested clubs will try to wait until the March 3 trade deadline gets close in the hope that the Jackets lower their price.

THREE TEAMS INTERESTED IN LUKE SCHENN

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reported Monday that there are at least three teams interested in acquiring Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn before the March 3 deadline. The Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs are among those reportedly in the mix.

Schenn is on an expiring contract with an $850K cap hit. His physical style of play and Stanley Cup experience makes him an attractive target for contenders in need of affordable blueline depth.