NHL Rumor Mill – January 21, 2023

by | Jan 21, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 21, 2023

Check out the latest on Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier, Bo Horvat, and Matt Dumba plus updates on the Red Wings and Panthers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TRADE SPECULATION CONTINUES TO DOG KARLSSON AND MEIER

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Max Miller cites TSN’s Pierre LeBrun suggesting Erik Karlsson might not be a member of the Sharks by next season. Appearing on the Got Yer Back podcast, LeBrun felt if the 32-year-old defenseman gets traded it’ll be in June when teams have more salary cap flexibility.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Miller also noted LeBrun recently interviewed Karlsson, who carries an $11.5 million salary cap hit through 2026-27 with a full no-movement clause. The blueliner said he and his family are happy in San Jose but he still wants to play for a winner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun’s not the only pundit who thinks a Karlsson trade won’t happen until the offseason. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen said the same thing during a recent mailbag segment. I’ve also said that a summer deal seems more likely than an in-season one because of his hefty cap hit and his no-movement clause.

Meanwhile, Sheng Peng cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the Sharks could let teams talk to Timo Meier’s agent about a contract extension if they get a trade proposal they like. Friedman believes the 26-year-old winger could be moved by the March 3 trade deadline, citing the aggressiveness of Sharks management and their willingness to do business.

Meier is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. He’ll be a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility and will cost the Sharks $10 million to qualify his rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A trade proposal they like is something that will help them immediately as well as in the long term. A good young NHL player and a high-end prospect likely have to be part of the offer for Meier.

The Sharks could move Meier by the trade deadline but they aren’t under pressure to do so. They can afford to wait until the summer if they don’t get any offers they like by March 3.

POTENTIAL SUITORS FOR HORVAT

SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he believed interest in Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat intensified this week. He also indicated that the Canucks haven’t given interested clubs permission to speak with Horvat’s agent about a new contract. The 27-year-old center is eligible for UFA status on July 1.

Friedman also rattled off a list of several potential suitors for Horvat. He believes the Seattle Kraken, Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils could have varying degrees of interest.

He’s not sure about the Carolina Hurricanes as they don’t do rental players but he’s not ruling them out. He also considers the Tampa Bay Lightning as a wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horvat carries a reasonable $5.5 million cap hit. Nevertheless, clubs like the Bruins, Devils and Lightning could find it difficult to acquire him because of their limited cap space. The Hurricanes could be interested now that Max Pacioretty is done for the season, giving them $7 million of LTIR cap space if needed to make an addition or two at the trade deadline.

UPDATE ON DUMBA

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Smith reports the Minnesota Wild’s decision to scratch Matt Dumba for the second straight game is sparking speculation that a trade could be in the works, among other theories. However, the club insists they’re not working on moving the 28-year-old defenseman.

Smith writes the decision to scratch Dumba remains performance-based. He also indicates that there’s no guarantee the blueliner will be moved by the March 3 trade deadline, claiming there hasn’t been a lot of interest. Most teams are capped out, Dumba has struggled at times this season and there are other notable blueliners in this season’s trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Senators reportedly scouted Dumba earlier this month. However, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch believes the blueliner’s recent scratch from the lineup isn’t a good sign. He also noted that Senators general manager Pierre Dorion took in the recent game between the Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars, pointing out the Kings could be willing to move one of their right-shot defensemen.

LATEST ON THE RED WINGS AND PANTHERS

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen looked at which Red Wings could be on the move if GM Steve Yzerman becomes a seller at the trade deadline. Tyler Bertuzzi seems the most likely trade candidate if the pending UFA isn’t signed by March 3. However, Allen doesn’t expect center Dylan Larkin to be moved even if he remains unsigned by the deadline.

Other trade candidates could include forward Adam Erne, defenseman Olli Maatta, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, forwards Oskar Sundqvist and Pius Suter and blueliner Jake Walman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Unless Larkin’s contract talks break down completely I’ll be surprised if the Wings trade their captain. I believe there remains a genuine desire on both sides to hammer out an agreement before July 1.

As for the rest, they won’t all be traded. Nevertheless, I can see Bertuzzi and Nedeljkovic getting shopped.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently reported Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito still believes his struggling club has a shot at reaching the playoffs. At the moment, the Panthers are in no man’s land as they’re neither buyers nor sellers at this point. The next six weeks will determine which direction they go.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2023

by | Jan 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2023

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel reach scoring milestones, Canucks fans voice support for embattled coach Bruce Boudreau and Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty is sidelined again. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists and Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (24-17-3), who moved ahead of the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Both clubs have 51 points but the Avs hold three more wins and two games in hand over the Flames. Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (18-24-3), who’ve now lost six of their last seven contests.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon reached the 50-point mark for the eighth consecutive season.

Meanwhile, Vancouver fans supported embattled Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau by serenading him with cries of “Bruce, there it is!” Another fan unfurled a sign that read, “We Stand With Bruce”.

There’s been intensifying rumors over the last two weeks suggesting Boudreau could be replaced by TNT hockey analyst and former Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet. The Canucks’ front office (specifically, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin) has the power to make coaching changes if they wish.

Boudreau was already in the job when they took over and he isn’t the guy they want behind the bench. The problem, however, is they’re just letting him twist in the wind.

Everyone knows, Boudreau included, that he’s going to be replaced by Tocchet. If they don’t want him, they should’ve replaced him with an interim coach until they brought in his permanent replacement.

Their shabby treatment of Boudreau reflects poorly on the franchise and deepens the frustration among their fans over the club’s direction under team owner Francesco Aquilini.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Tristan Jarry made 44 saves in his first start for the Penguins since Jan. 2 following an injury as the Penguins (23-15-7, 53 points) hold a two-point lead over the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Brady Tkachuk replied for the Senators, who dropped to 20-22-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel reached the 20-goal, 40-point plateau for the sixth straight season. Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry also returned to action for the first time since Dec. 10. Meanwhile, winger Kasperi Kapanen missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as week-to-week.

HEADLINES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Bad news for Carolina Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty as an MRI revealed he tore his right Achilles tendon for the second time since August. The 33-year-old winger made his season debut on Jan. 5 and appeared in five games with the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This injury not only ends Pacioretty’s season but could potentially derail his career. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Hurricanes could pursue a potential replacement before the March 3 trade deadline.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild will scratch defenseman Matt Dumba for Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers. He was also scratched from Thursday’s contest with the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumba’s been the subject of growing trade speculation. I’ll have more later today in my NHL Rumor Mill update.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Oft-injured Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi suffered a lower-body injury during their 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. He’s not expected to be out of the lineup for long.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was fined $5,000.00 for interference on Florida Panthers center Eric Staal during their game on Thursday.

Speaking of the Canadiens, former Hab P.K. Subban helped raise $6.3 million for Montreal’s Children’s Hospital. The original goal was to raise $10 million by 2022 but fundraising was slowed by the pandemic. Subban said he’ll extend the pledge to 2025 to reach the $10 million goal and he hopes to continue his partnership with the hospital for the long term.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have assigned goaltender Spencer Knight to their AHL affiliate in Charlotte for a conditioning stint.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken will take to the ice for their warmups before Saturday’s game against the Avalanche wearing jerseys to honor the Year of the Rabbit.

DEFECTOR: Vox Media yesterday announced layoffs that will shut down all but six of their SB Nation NHL websites as well as most of their MLS websites. 130 employees will be affected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will affect a number of sites such as Blueshirt Banter, Broad Street Hockey, Copper and Blue, Davy Jones Locker Room, Die By The Blade, Five for Howling, Hockey Wilderness, Japers Rink, Knights on Ice, Nucks Misconduct, On The Forecheck, Pension Plan Puppets, Raw Charge, Second City Hockey, The Cannon and Winging It in Motown.

Many of those sites began as blogs between 15 and 20 years ago. I followed most of them for years and got to know some of the good folks who wrote for them, showcasing their work for several years with my Hockey Blog Beat.

Those blogs/websites provided an invaluable hockey community for fans and aspiring writers to share their views on their favorite teams and on the NHL in general. I know how painful it is to be laid off so I really feel for those who worked so hard to contribute to and maintain those sites. It’s such a shame to see them cast aside like this. Here’s hoping those sites can live on in some form.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2023

by | Jan 20, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2023

Are the Rangers pursuing Timo Meier or Vladislav Gavrikov? What’s going on with Matt Dumba and Jake Muzzin? Are the Canucks close to replacing coach Bruce Boudreau? What’s the latest on the Predators? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE RANGERS EYEING MEIER OR GAVRIKOV?

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple cited Daily Faceoff reporting the New York Rangers have taken a long look at Timo Meier. The San Jose Sharks winger is a restricted free agent in July who is due a $10 million qualifying offer and seems likely to be moved before the March 3 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images)

According to Staple, the Sharks would want a young center as part of the package along with one of the two first-round picks the Rangers hold in this year’s draft. However, he pointed out the Blueshirts have a lot of roster holes to fill and limited cap space to do so beyond this season. Meier could get at least $8.5 million annually on his next contract.

Staple also cited a league source claiming the Rangers asked the Columbus Blue Jackets about defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. The asking price is said to be a first-rounder plus a mid-round pick.

Staple’s colleague Shayna Goldman included the Rangers in her list of potential destinations for Meier. Others included the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier’s going to be an expensive acquisition for pretty much every playoff contender this season in terms of return and contract beyond this season. A club could acquire him as a rental player and then shop his rights in the offseason. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if a Meier trade occurs in the offseason.

UPDATE ON DUMBA

TSN: Darren Dreger took note of the Minnesota Wild scratching Matt Dumba from Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricane. He pointed out the 28-year-old defenseman hasn’t played well of late and believes head coach Dean Evason is trying to send a message. Despite Dumba’s recent play, Dreger said Dumba continues to draw interest in the trade market but he has to get his game back on track.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t in any rush to move the struggling Dumba. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported Guerin’s received trade calls about the blueliner but he’s not about to move him unless he feels the Wild are getting better. Dumba, meanwhile, said Guerin has been upfront with him that he could be moved by the trade deadline.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

TSN: Chris Johnston reports hockey analyst and former NHL coach Rick Tocchet said he doesn’t have a contract with the Vancouver Canucks. However, Johnston expects that’ll change soon as it sounds like negotiations have started on a deal for Tocchet plus a couple of additions to his coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I hate how the Canucks are handling this situation. Management is obviously unhappy over Bruce Boudreau’s coaching and they’re entitled to that. However, they’re leaving Boudreau twisting in the wind while it appears they’re very actively courting his replacement. If they don’t want him, they should fire him and install one of the assistant coaches as interim bench boss until his full-time replacement is found.

I don’t fault Tocchet and I believe Boudreau is handling this well despite the circumstances. Nevertheless, this isn’t a good look for the Canucks’ front office. Of course, the case can be made that nobody will care if Tocchet can reverse their fortunes but that doesn’t excuse their shabby treatment of Boudreau.

LEAFS EXPECT CLARITY SOON ON MUZZIN’S STATUS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports it doesn’t sound like there’s been any development on whether sidelined defenseman Jake Muzzin will return to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup this season. They expect to get clarity on his injury status soon as it’ll determine how much longer he’ll remain on long-term injury reserve. If he’s out for the season they could use the cap relief to perhaps acquire someone at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Muzzin has been out since Oct. 19 with a cervical spine injury and will be re-evaluated in February. He’s signed through 2023-24 with an average annual value of $5.625 million.

WILL THE PREDATORS MAKE ANY DEADLINE DEAL?

THE TENNESSEAN: Paul Skrbina recently speculated over the Nashville Predators’ plans for the March 3 trade deadline. He expects they’ll remain in the playoff race so they’ll either buy or stand pat. “Outside of Mattias Ekholm, who wants no part of moving his family, the Predators don’t have much to offer trade-wise,” writes Skrbina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekholm recently surfaced in the rumor mill as a trade candidate. He lacks no-trade protection but he’s also in the first season of a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million. That salary is almost as effective as a no-trade clause given the high number of cap-strapped teams around the league this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2023

by | Jan 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2023

The Sabres retire Ryan Miller’s No. 30, milestone games for the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron and the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, the final 12 players are named to the 2023 All-Star Game, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres retired Ryan Miller’s No. 30 in a pregame ceremony before downing the New York Islanders 3-2 on an overtime goal by Dylan Cozens. Rasmus Dahlen collected two assists for the Sabres (22-19-3) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Ilya Sorokin stopped 42 shots for the Islanders (23-19-6), who remain tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins with 51 points. The Penguins, however, hold the last wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Isles.

Buffalo Sabres raise Ryan Miller’s banner (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller played 11 seasons with the Sabres from 2002 to 2014. He’s their all-time goaltending leader with 284 wins, 540 games played, 14, 847 saves and single-season wins with 41. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2009-10 and was named to that season’s First All-Star Team. He retired in 2021 after 18 NHL seasons.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron scored the game-winning goal and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Bergeron surpassed Phil Esposito to move into second place among Bruins scorers with 78 game-winning goals. Boston (35-5-4) maintains a 12-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 76 points. The 25-14-7 Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: John Bucyk is Boston’s all-time leader in game-winning goals with 88. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo left this game after blocking a shot with his left leg.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they defeated the Minnesota Wild by a score of 5-2. Frederik Andersen turned aside 29 shots while Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the 28-9-8 Hurricanes. Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored his 100th career goal, becoming the third-fastest active skater to reach that milestone by doing it in his 180th career NHL game. The Wild (25-14-4) remain in third place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly loss for the Hurricanes as winger Max Pacioretty left the game in the third period after suffering an injury to the same leg that sidelined him for all but five games this season. It remains to be seen if he reinjured the Achilles tendon.

The Dallas Stars got a 34-save shutout from Scott Wedgewood to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Tyler Seguin scored twice and collected an assist as the Stars (27-13-7) took over sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with 61 points. The Kings slipped to 25-16-6 and hold third place in the Pacific Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice and Ilya Samsonov kicked out 37 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Mitch Marner scored to extend his home points streak record to 20 games as the Leafs (28-11-7) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Kyle Connor replied for the Jets (29-16-1) as they slipped two points behind the Stars in the Western Conference standings.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Connor McDavid netted his league-leading 39 goal of the season to snap a 3-3 in the third period while Zach Hyman tallied twice for the 26-18-3 Oilers, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 55 points. Brayden Point had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (29-14-1) as their five-game win streak came to an end, leaving them four points behind the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Evander Kane faces two trials next week in a San Jose courtroom after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy two years ago. The two creditors hope to block a discharge that would allow Kane to walk away from his remaining debts. His trial briefs revealed he borrowed $48 million between 2014 and 2019.

An overtime goal by Andre Burakovsky lifted the Seattle Kraken over the New Jersey Devils 4-3, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Ryan Donato scored two goals and added an assist for the 27-14-4 Kraken, who moved ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights into first place in the Pacific Division with 58 points. Devils captain Nico Hischier tallied his 21st goal of the season as they sit two points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes with 62 points (29-12-4).

Speaking of the Golden Knights (28-16-2), they fell 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings. Ville Husso made 33 saves while Joe Veleno scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. Reilly Smith collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who have the same number of points as the Kraken (58) but the latter hold first in the Pacific with a game in hand. The Wings, meanwhile, improved to 19-17-8 on the season.

Washington Capitals goalie Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves to pick up his league-leading fifth shutout of the season to beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-0. Dylan Strome scored twice for the Capitals (25-17-6) as they opened a five-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first Eastern wild-card spot with 56 points. The Coyotes (14-26-5) played without leading goal scorer Lawson Crouse (16 goals) as he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues forwards Brandon Saad and Robert Thomas each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. The Blues improved to 23-20-3 (49 points) to sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card spot. The Predators (21-18-6) sit one point back of the Blues.

The Florida Panthers (22-20-5, 49 points) moved to within two points of the Penguins for the final Eastern wild-card spot with a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and Aleksander Barkov collected two assists for the Panthers. The Canadiens fell to 19-24-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Eric Staal left this game with injuries. Backup netminder Alex Lyon made 23 saves for the win. Earlier in the day, Panthers coach Paul Maurice was fined $25,000 by the NHL for making comments about the officiating in their game against the Leafs on Jan. 17.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Anaheim Ducks over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Trevor Zegras, Cam Fowler and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the 13-28-5 Ducks as they snapped a five-game losing skid. The Jackets dropped to 13-20-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks activated forward Isac Lundestrom off injured reserve but forward Mason McTavish missed this contest with a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks ended a 17-game regular-season road winless skid against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 4-1 victory. Petr Mrazek stopped 37 shots while Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist for the 13-26-4 Blackhawks. The Flyers fell to 19-20-7.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The final 12 players were named to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Leafs center Auston Matthews, Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Rangers winger Artemi Panarin were among the notables chosen by fan voting.

Speaking of the All-Star game, the jerseys for the event were also unveiled yesterday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers head coach John Tortorella continued to support Ivan Provorov after the defenseman declined to participate in a warm-up skate before Tuesday’s game against Anaheim wearing an LGBTQ+-themed jersey during Pride Night citing his religious beliefs. “Prov did nothing wrong,” said Tortorella. “Just because you don’t agree with his decision doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman weighed in on the situation to put the focus on the 700 players who supported LGBTQ+ Pride and embrace inclusivity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those comments did little to quell the wave of criticism from a number of fans and pundits on social media over Provorov’s stance and Tortorella’s support of his decision.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Mathieu Joseph was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Penguins for breaking a team rule. Neither he or the club elaborated on the situation but Joseph is keen to return to action for Friday’s rematch in Pittsburgh.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2023

by | Jan 19, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – January 19, 2023

A growing number of teams could be interested in Bo Horvat, the latest on Brock Boeser and Jesse Puljujarvi plus a look at some potential Canadiens trade bait in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST CANUCKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek and Michael Russo suggested the Boston Bruins could be a good destination for Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat. They mused over the possibility of the Bruins acquiring Horvat and signing him to a contract extension should Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci retire at the end of this season.

The Carolina Hurricanes could also be a landing spot for Horvat. However, they’re unwilling to part with Martin Necas.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports the Bruins, Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche are kicking tires on the Canucks captain. However, there are cost certainty concerns and the Canucks have not granted permission for potential suitors to talk contract with Horvat’s agent.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites an NHL source confirming the Bruins and Canucks have talked about Horvat. The Avalanche, Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken are also believed to be really interested in Horvat but the Canucks’ asking price is high. The source expected prospect Fabian Lysell and a first-round pick would have to be the starting point in any talks between the Bruins and Canucks.

THE ATHLETIC/VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Jesse Granger and Owen Krepps included Horvat in their lists of potential trade targets for the Golden Knights if winger Mark Stone and his $9.5 million cap hit end up on long-term injury reserve. Stone is currently listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

POST MEDIA: Michael Traikos added the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins as possible suitors for Horvat. He wondered whether an offer of a first-round pick, a top prospect and a young roster player would be too much or too little.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat (NHL Images).

Traikos also believes the Canucks can’t afford to wait too long to move Horvat. St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko, Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, San Jose’s Timo Meier, Ottawa’s Alex DeBrincat, Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk and Montreal’s Sean Monahan could soon become available in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lot of playoff contenders would love to have Bo Horvat on their roster for the 2023 playoffs and perhaps beyond if they can reach an agreement on a contract extension. Most, however, won’t be able to afford the Canucks’ asking price. A number of them will lack sufficient cap space to pull it off unless they get creative and pull off a three-team swap to spread around the remainder of Horvat’s $5.5 million cap hit.

As for the Canucks’ asking price, Rutherford said earlier this week that he’d be interested in acquiring players on entry-level contracts who are struggling with their current teams. He probably won’t balk at getting a first-round pick but he’d like to add young NHL-ready players given ownership’s insistence on retooling the roster rather than rebuilding.

All of this is just spitballing right now. Teams are making inquiries into Horvat’s availability and what it would cost. It’ll likely only be two or three clubs that’ll come up with suitable bids. I don’t rule out Horvat getting traded in January but I think a February deal is more likely.

THE ATHLETIC’s Pierre LeBrun and Michael Russo report teams are still interested in Canucks winger Brock Boeser. He’s signed through 2024-25 with a $6.65 million annual cap hit. It’s possible the only way he gets traded is if the Canucks retain part of his salary. The Minnesota Wild have spoken to them about Boeser but they might not be able to make it work cap-wise without Vancouver retaining salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Province’s Ben Kuzma shares that view. Canucks management reportedly wants to clear the entirety of Boeser’s cap hit from their books. If they maintain that stance, they might have to wait until the offseason to move him when teams have more cap room.

UPDATES ON THE OILERS

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman believes it’s time for the Edmonton Oilers to part ways with Jesse Puljujarvi after he was made a healthy scratch for Evander Kane’s return to the roster on Tuesday.

GM Ken Holland has been working the phones. However, he couldn’t find any takers for Puljujarvi last summer because he refused to accept discounted future assets for a player who was a top-six forward last season. The decline in the 24-year-old winger’s performance this season leaves management praying that someone will take his $3 million contract off their hands.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reported the Oilers have had some promising conversations with a couple of teams regarding Puljujarvi. That’s potentially good news for Oilers fans concerned that the club might have to package Puljujarvi with an asset to move him before the March 3 trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Color me skeptical about the Oilers’ chances of moving Puljujarvi before deadline day without bundling him with a draft pick or prospect. Sure, anything’s possible but his stock has really tumbled since last summer when it wasn’t that high to begin with.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson dismissed the notion of the Oilers parting with defenseman Philip Broberg as part of a package offer to the Arizona Coyotes for Jakob Chychrun.

Matheson considered it unlikely to happen because the Oilers don’t see Chychrun as a fit they need plus they like Broberg too much.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers’ focus seems to be on acquiring a shutdown defenseman like Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov or Montreal’s Joel Edmundson. And no, they won’t part with Broberg for either of those guys.

POTENTIAL CANADIENS TRADE BAIT

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan reports the Canadiens could have a different look following the March 3 trade deadline. Veterans like Edmundson and forwards Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Sean Monahan and Josh Anderson could be in play as the Habs continue their rebuilding process.

Drouin, Dadonov and Monahan are slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer. GM Kent Hughes will attempt to get something for them by the deadline. Hughes acknowledged Edmundson and Anderson have frequently surfaced in media trade rumors but called those reports “not necessarily accurate.”

Don’t expect the Canadiens to shop Samuel Montembeault. Hughes said they want to keep the 26-year-old goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drouin and Monahan have been sidelined by injuries while Dadonov hasn’t played well this season. Those factors will affect their value in this season’s trade market. I doubt he’ll be able to get first-round picks or top prospects for them.

Edmundson and Anderson would have more value but they’re both signed beyond this season. Hughes could be less inclined to move them but I don’t doubt that he’ll listen to offers that include a first-rounder.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2023

by | Jan 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 19, 2023

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos tallies his 500th goal, Erik Karlsson leads the Sharks to an upset win over the Stars, the Canadiens hope to re-sign Cole Caufield to a long-term contract, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored his 500th career goal with a hat-trick performance in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (29-13-1, 59 points), who sit two points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each had two points for the Canucks as they slipped to 18-23-3 on the season.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos also reached the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his 15-season NHL career. He’s the third active player to score 500 career goals, joining Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (810) and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (538).

The San Jose Sharks overcame a 3-0 deficit to upset the Dallas Stars 5-3. Erik Karlsson led the way for the Sharks (14-23-9) with a goal and three assists while James Reimer made 33 saves. Jason Robertson scored his 30th goal of the season for the Stars (26-13-7) as they remain stuck in second place in the Central Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson also set a Stars record by becoming the fastest Dallas player to reach 30 goals in a season (46 games), breaking Mike Modano’s previous record of 30 in 48 games in 1993-94.

The league-leading Boston Bruins (35-5-4) picked up their third straight victory with a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist while Linus Ullmark kicked out 25 shots for the Bruins. With 74 points, they hold a 12-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the overall standings. The Islanders dropped to 23-19-4 (50 points) to sit one point back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Penguins, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Ottawa Senators on an overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk, who finished the night with four points. Thomas Chabot collected three assists as the Senators improved to 20-21-3. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had three-point performances for the 22-15-7 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins recently moved defenseman Kris Letang to injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the Senators placed blueliner Artem Zub (lower body) on IR.

Colorado Avalanche forwards Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen each scored twice to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists for the fourth straight game while Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 34 shots as the Avalanche (23-17-3, 49 points) move to within two points of the Flames (21-16-9, 51 points) for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche played this game without defenseman Cale Makar, who is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Avs blueliners Erik Johnson skated in his 900th career NHL game.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said his club hopes to sign Cole Caufield to a long-term contract during his midseason state-of-the-franchise press conference on Wednesday. The 22-year-old sophomore winger leads the Canadiens with 26 goals in 45 games this season. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield is going to get a significant pay raise. It’s just a question of how much his average annual value will be.

The Canadiens could prefer signing Caufield to between $7.5 million and $8 million annually to keep his salary within range of linemate Nick Suzuki’s $7.875 million AAV. Caufield’s agent, however, could seek between $9 million and $10 million annually, especially if the young winger reaches 50 goals this season.

TSN: The Canadiens also announced rookie winger Juraj Slavkovsky has been sidelined for three months with a lower-body injury that won’t require surgery. Forward Jake Evans (lower body) will miss eight to 10 weeks.

Forwards Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia are both out until the All-Star break with upper-body injuries. Meanwhile, goaltender Jake Allen (upper body) will be sidelined for at least a week.

TSN: The Buffalo Sabres placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers. The Nashville Predators also placed forward Mike McCarron on waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres had been trying to trade Hinostroza. McCarron recently received clearance to return to action after completing a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

NHL.COM: The Detroit Red Wings acquired center Jasper Weatherby from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Kyle Criscuolo. Weatherby, 24, played 50 games with the Sharks last season.