NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2022

by | Nov 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2022

Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine shine as the Avalanche and Blue Jackets square off in Finland, Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes over the Sabres, reaction to the Bruins signing prospect Mitchell Miller, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3 at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland, as part of the NHL’s 2022 Global Series. Finnish stars Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine shone in front of a sellout crowd with Rantanen tallying a hat trick for the Avalanche while Laine had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets. Nathan MacKinnon collected four assists for the Avs (5-4-1) while the Jackets fall to 3-8-0.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche and Blue Jackets will face off again at Nokia Arena on Saturday to complete the second game of their Global Series.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho netted a hat trick and added an assist to lead his club over the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 5-3. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes (8-2-1) while the Sabres (7-4-0) got two assists from rookie winger Jack Quinn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friday was a good day for three of Finland’s top forwards.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed prospect defenseman Mitchell Miller yesterday to a three-year entry-level contract.

A 2020 fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, the club renounced Miller’s draft rights after it emerged that he was convicted in juvenile court at age 14 for brutally bullying disabled classmate Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, including hurling racial slurs at him and physically demeaning him for years.

Miller admitted in juvenile court in 2016 that he and a classmate made Meyer-Crothers lick a lollipop that had been contaminated in a urinal, resulting in the victim having to undergo numerous tests for HIV, hepatitis and various sexually transmitted diseases. Meyer-Crother’s mother, Joni, revealed Miller never apologized to her son for his actions for years before reaching out last week on Instagram rather than contacting them directly.

SPORTSNET: Bruins general manager Don Sweeney met with the media to officially announce Miller’s signing. He said he struggled with the decision to sign the young defenseman.

“Mitchell’s paid a punishment, and he’s going to carry that for the rest of his life,” said Sweeney. “We’re going to hold him to a standard.”

However, Sweeney also admitted, “This decision could be wrong…It invited a lot of negativity that we didn’t need or want.”

In an interview with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said he was “on the fence” about the decision, saying as a team the Bruins stand for “integrity, and inclusion, and diversity obviously.” He felt that Miller’s signing “goes against what we are as a culture and as a team, and for me as a person.” Bergeron acknowledged he’d been told that Miller was working hard to make some changes but believes “the work is on him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins are catching hell for this move in the media and on social media, especially from their fans and local pundits. To make matters worse, management reportedly didn’t bother contacting Meyer-Crothers’ family during their vetting of Miller.

Some of the players in their leadership group questioned the decision when they were informed of the club’s intentions to sign Miller. If you’re a general manager or team president and your well-respected team captain is publicly questioning a signing, you might want to reconsider your plans.

Miller’s signing is just the latest in a string of recent stories of the toxic culture that exists within the game and its reflection on the NHL as a standard bearer for the sport. It gives the impression that the league in particular and the sport as a whole have learned nothing.

For better or worse, the Bruins are willing to give Miller a second chance. Like the Montreal Canadiens’ Logan Mailloux, it’s on him to prove that he’s learned from his transgression, that he’s genuinely remorseful for his actions and will never repeat them, and is willing to advocate against such atrocious behavior within the hockey community.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are officially up for sale with the condition that the new owner will keep the team in Ottawa. It’s expected the sale will take place within the coming months. There is expected to be no shortage of interested parties, especially with the Senators winning preferred bidder status to construct a new arena just 10 minutes from downtown Ottawa at LeBreton Flats.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: So much for the conspiracy theorists suggesting a prospective owner could pay lip service toward keeping the team in Ottawa only to up and move them within a few years after purchasing the club. It was nonsense anyway since any attempt to do so would require NHL approval. League commissioner Gary Bettman wants the Senators to remain in Ottawa.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger Beck Malenstyn will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks following surgery to repair a fractured left finger.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2022

by | Nov 4, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 4, 2022

The Canadiens are talking trade with the Capitals regarding a forward plus the latest on the Leafs and the Penguins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

CANADIENS TALKING TRADE WITH CAPITALS AND OTHER CLUBS.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Montreal Canadiens have been talking about a trade with the Washington Capitals though they haven’t progressed beyond the discussion stage.

Montreal Canadiens winger Evgenii Dadonov (NHL Images)

Washington winger Connor Brown is out six-to-eight months, given the Capitals $3.6 million of cap space to work with. For now, they’re content to explore their internal options to replace Brown, including their recent recall of winger Sonny Milano.

LeBrun reports the Canadiens have also reached out to several other teams looking to create a trade market for their glut of forwards. He mentioned Evgenii Dadonov, Jonathan Drouin and Mike Hoffman as trade candidates.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont suggested the Canadiens could grease the skids to moving one of those forwards by agreeing to retain 50 percent of their salary-cap hit. That would mean Drouin would only cost the Capitals (or another club) $2.75 million. Dadonov would come in at $2.5 million while Hoffman would be $2.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have placed Dadonov on injured reserve for now though earlier reports claimed he was suffering from a non-COVID-related illness. They could demote Juraj Slafkovsky to their AHL affiliate in Laval because he’s waiver-exempt but it appears they’d prefer to keep the promising 18-year-old rookie winger in the lineup.

Dadonov, Drouin or Hoffman could also be placed on waivers and demoted if they go unclaimed, though that would only provide the Habs with $1.125 million in cap relief. The preference for the Habs seems to be getting their entire cap hit off their books. Dadonov and Drouin are eligible for unrestricted free agent status next July while Hoffman is signed through 2023-24.

Dadonov’s and Drouin’s pending UFA status could make them enticing to contenders as rental players, especially at 50 percent salary retention. The rebuilding Canadiens could seek a draft pick or a prospect for either guy or perhaps a young, affordable defenseman.

The problem, however, is Dadonov, Drouin and Hoffman aren’t playing well this season. Maybe their production would improve by joining a playoff contender with a deeper roster but that doesn’t make them any easier to move.

LATEST LEAFS SPECULATION

TSN: Chris Johnston speculated the Toronto Maple Leafs could be in need of a defenseman if Jake Muzzin should become sidelined for the season with a neck injury. That would provide them with additional cap space ($5.625 million) to play with.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes the Leafs should go the trade route if things don’t improve instead of making a coaching change. He acknowledged the difficulty of making moves this early in the season under a flat cap but pointed to the recent moves made by the Vancouver Canucks in acquiring center Jack Studnicka and defenseman Ethan Bear. “Nothing big, but they’re tweaks that could help the team,” he wrote.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun wrote this before the Leafs’ win over the Flyers on Wednesday. Nevertheless, he thinks it’s too early for panic in the Toronto market and anticipates they’ll soon reverse their fortunes.

As for Muzzin, the Leafs are still awaiting clarity on his condition and how long he could be sidelined. If he’s out for the season, however, I think they’ll go shopping for a suitable replacement, preferably by the March trade deadline when the market has improved.

NO TRADES COMING FOR THE PENGUINS?

THE ATHLETIC: Following the Pittsburgh Penguins’ loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Josh Yohe wrote that he didn’t expect they’ll be making a big trade anytime soon.

“Who are they going to trade? Who would they be willing to part with that another team would covet,” wrote Yohe. He believes the only solution to their six-game losing skid is for them to start playing better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After winning three of their first four games and picking up points in each of those contests, the Penguins have been in free fall. Their best players simply haven’t played like it for long stretches. Worse, they’re looking slower than their opponents, which could be the kiss of death in a league that’s trending toward speed and skill.

As for trade candidates, Pierre-Olivier Joseph was a frequent topic of media trade chatter throughout October. However, the 23-year-old defenseman hasn’t been mentioned much recently in the rumor mill over the past week or so. Regardless, he won’t fetch the type of significant return the Penguins need to shake things up and reverse their fortunes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2022

by | Nov 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2022

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin ties an NHL scoring record while the Sharks’ Erik Karlsson sets one for defensemen, the Canucks Elias Pettersson has a five-point night, and much more from a busy night in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe for the most goals by one player with a single franchise (786) in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Andrew Copp snapped a 1-1 in the third period and Dylan Larkin sealed the win for the Red Wings (5-3-2) while the Capitals‘ record drops to 5-5-2.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin can take over sole possession of the single-team goals record on Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes. He is also 16 goals away from overtaking Howe’s 801 career goals for second place on the all-time NHL list. Prior to last night’s game, Ovechkin met with Gordie’s son Mark Howe for the first time. Mark wished the Capitals superstar the best in his pursuit to become the league’s all-time leading scorer.

The San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson became the fastest defenseman in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to reach 10 goals in a season (13 games) but his club fell 4-3 to the Florida Panthers. Karlsson finished the night with three points for the Sharks as they fell to 3-8-2. Sam Reinhart scored the only goal in the shootout, Matthew Tkachuk collected three assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves for the win as the Panthers improved to 6-4-1.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson had a goal and four assists while rookie Andrei Kuzmenko netted his first career NHL hat trick to down the Anaheim Ducks 8-5. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists as the Canucks improved to 3-6-2. Troy Terry had a goal and two assists for the Ducks as they dropped to 3-7-1.

The league-leading Boston Bruins (10-1-0) defeated the New York Rangers 5-2 for their seventh straight win. David Pastrnak scored to extend his points streak to eight games while Hampus Lindholm, Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno each had two points. Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game with an upper-body injury as his club’s record fell to 6-4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Bruins announced goaltender Jeremy Swayman and defenseman Derek Forbort are listed as week-to-week with injuries.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson made 42 saves as his club held off the Ottawa Senators 5-4. The Golden Knights improved to 10-2-0 while the Senators (4-6-0) have dropped four straight games. Mark Stone had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Senators forwards Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle each scored twice for the Senators while Brady Tkachuk collected three assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Cam Talbot was activated off injured reserve for this game. He wasn’t expected to play in this contest but he played the final 27 minutes as Anton Forsberg got the hook after giving up five goals on 19 shots.

The Carolina Hurricanes nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on shootout goals by Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho to improve their record to 7-2-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 52 shots for the Lightning (6-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game wasn’t as close as the score suggests. Vasilevskiy stole a point for his teammates as they were dominated by the Hurricanes.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Miles Wood, Ryan Graves and Jesper Bratt lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. The Devils are 8-3-0 and have won five straight, though this one proved costly as goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood left this contest in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Connor McDavid and Tyson Barrie each had two points as the Oilers drop to 7-4-0.

The Dallas Stars boosted their record to 7-3-1 by thumping the Arizona Coyotes 7-2. Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists while Jason Robertson tallied twice for the Stars. Juuso Valimaki and Lawson Crouse replied for the Coyotes, who fall to 3-6-1.

An overtime goal by Kyle Connor gave the Winnipeg Jets a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist for the Jets (6-3-1). Samuel Montembeault stopped 33 shots for the Canadiens (5-5-1) while Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson made his season debut as he returned from a back injury. To make room for Edmundson, they placed winger Evgenii Dadonov on injured reserve. Meanwhile, the Jets announced before this game that forward Morgan Barron would miss four-to-five weeks following wrist surgery.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 32 stops while Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and Noah Dobson each had two points to defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-2. The Islanders (7-4-0) have won five straight games while the slumping Blues (3-6-0) have lost six straight.

The Seattle Kraken got a 22-save shutout from Martin Jones and two goals from Alex Wennberg to tame the Minnesota Wild 4-0. The Kraken’s record is now 6-4-2 while the Wild fall to 5-5-1. Kraken rookie Shane Wright played a season-high 13:45 and saw some power-play time but was held scoreless.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wright’s playing time has become the focus of criticism among pundits around the league. However, the 18-year-old center said he’s on board with the Kraken’s plans for his development and remains keen to stick with the club this season.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews tallied in overtime to lift his club past the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. It was Toews’ seventh goal of the season. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 32 shots for his first NHL victory as the Blackhawks improve to 5-4-2. Blake Lizotte scored for the 6-6-1 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews missed all of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season due to chronic immune response syndrome and netted a career-worst 37 points in 71 games last season. The Blackhawks captain leads his club in goals and sits among the league leaders in that category.

The Nashville Predators (4-6-1) picked up just their second win in the past nine games by dousing the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene each had two points while Kevin Lankinen got the win by stopping 29 shots. Blake Coleman had the only goal for the Flames (5-4-0), who’ve now lost three straight games.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2022

by | Nov 3, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 3, 2022

Could there be a trade market for the Sharks’ Erik Karlsson? Are changes coming for the struggling Blue Jackets? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR ERIK KARLSSON?

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran observes the San Jose Sharks are “already in selling mode”. He points out Erik Karlsson is looking like his old self as an elite puck-moving defenseman and “looks as if he’s auditioning for a trade.”

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (NHL Images).

Karlsson, 32, has five years remaining on a contract with an average annual value of $11.5 million. He joked about how that cap hit would fit in with the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, he also wondered “if the Sharks could retain half…and take back someone making around $5.685 million, and a sweetener or two.”

Nick Kypreos believes there isn’t a contending team in the league that Karlsson wouldn’t dramatically help. He also mused over whether the Sharks would be open to retaining “40 to 50 percent of the remaining value of his contract”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun last week was the first to report that Sharks general manager Mike Grier was willing to listen on almost everyone on his roster with the possible exception of Tomas Hertl.

Grier has already shown a willingness to shake things up, shipping Brent Burns in July to the Carolina Hurricanes despite his $8 million annual cap hit and three-team no-trade list. If Karlsson should be open to joining a playoff contender, perhaps he’d be willing to waive his no-movement clause.

Burns, however, has only two more seasons left after this one on his contract. His cap hit is more affordable and he currently has a 688 consecutive games streak going whereas Karlsson has been plagued by injuries in recent years.

Any trade of Karlsson will come down to two factors: waiving his no-movement clause and the Sharks’ willingness to carry up to $5.75 million in dead cap space if they agree to retain up to 50 percent of his cap hit for the next five years.

LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline recently cited the shabby state of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ blueline as a key factor in the club’s sputtering start to the season. However, he felt there are no easy answers to address the issue.

Portzline observed that volatility has been a factor. Their top-two left-side blueliners (Zach Werenski and Vladislav Gavrikov) have each had four different defense partners in the club’s first nine games.

Fixing the problem won’t be easy. The Blue Jackets are near the salary cap and top-four defensemen rarely change teams via trade and tend to be expensive in both salary and return.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman wondered if the Blue Jackets would look for some help at center until their good young players are fully NHL-ready. However, he indicates there’s nothing imminent on that front.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Expectations were high for the rebuilding (or is it retooling?) Blue Jackets when they finished higher than expected in last season’s standings. The signing of Johnny Gaudreau and re-signing Patrik Laine stoked excitement as well as some observers suggesting that they could even be a dark horse playoff contender.

It’s become painfully obvious they’re nowhere close to being a playoff contender. They’ve become lifeless as the losses have mounted, so much so that long-time NHL broadcaster Chico Resch called them “embarrassing” and “pathetic” during their recent 7-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Something will have to happen if the Jackets don’t turn things around soon. If a trade can’t be found to shake things up, head coach Brad Larsen could end up losing his job.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2022

by | Nov 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2022

The Leafs defeated the Flyers while the Sabres down the Penguins, an update on the Senators going up for sale, several players talk about injury disclosures, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: John Tavares tallied a hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped a four-game winless skid with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Tavares also collected an assist while Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist as the Leafs improved their record to 5-4-2. Flyers goalie Felix Sandstrom made 39 saves as his club’s record is now 5-3-2.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That loud exhale you heard across Canada last night was the sigh of relief coming from Leafs fans after a week spent fretting over the club’s 4-4-2 record through October. The Leafs aren’t out of the woods yet as they face the league-leading Boston Bruins, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights in their upcoming contests. Victories against those clubs will go a long way toward soothing the jangled nerves of Leafs Nation.

The Buffalo Sabres scored five unanswered third-period goals to overcome a 3-1 deficit and trounce the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1. Victor Olofsson scored twice while Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Jeff Skinner each collected two points for the Sabres (7-3-0). Jason Zucker, Josh Archibald and Jake Guentzel replied for the Penguins, who fall to 4-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres outshot the Penguins 33-21 and never quit even when they fell behind 3-1. Once they made it 3-2 you could sense the momentum was shifting. After winning four of their first five games, the Penguins seem at a loss following this game to explain why they’ve dropped six straight contests. They looked slow, confused and completely unable to contain the surging Sabres.

HEADLINES

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league sources are claiming that multiple groups, including a group of Toronto investors, are interested in purchasing the Senators once the club goes up for sale. However, it’s not believed there is anyone based in Ottawa with the ability to buy the team on their own.

The sale could come in between $750 million and $1 billion. Garrioch cited the recent sale of the Penguins for $900 million and the upcoming sale of the Nashville Predators at $750 million.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants to keep the club in Ottawa, especially with the potential for a downtown arena in the future. The Senators’ current ownership has made a bid to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch also cited a report in People Magazine claiming Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is interested in purchasing the club and keeping them in Ottawa.

SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan believes the LeBreton project holds the key to the Senators’ future in Ottawa. Sources told him the sale of the club could occur before the arena deal is approved but new ownership will want assurances that the project will go through.

TSN: Several NHL players weighed in on the future of injury disclosures. Teams currently tend to release vague reports of “upper-body” or “lower-body” injuries. The NHL’s betting partners haven’t yet pressured the league for more transparency but the day could be coming when more details about injuries will be publicly known.

Some players, such as the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Washington Capitals’ Darcy Kuemper, acknowledged it could go that way. Others, such as the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, worry that too much disclosure could result in opponents attempting to target injured players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Minor ailments and injuries can be disguised but not the obvious ones like the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl’s “lower-body injury” (ankle) noted in the article. As time goes on, especially with the NHL partnered with betting companies, I expect we’ll see more specifics about injuries.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of injuries, the Capitals placed T.J. Oshie, John Carlson and Beck Malenstyn on injured reserve and recalled Sonny Milano and two others from their AHL affiliate in Hershey.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Aaron Ekblad (groin injury) has returned to practice with his Panthers teammates for the first time since Oct. 17. He’s aiming to return to action by Nov. 12.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins have called up Keith Kinkaid to replace Jeremy Swayman, who remains sidelined with a suspected knee injury.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks have signed goaltender Dylan Wells to a one-year, two-way contract. With Alex Stalock (concussion) and Petr Mrazek (groin) sidelined, they were down to Arvid Soderblom as their only healthy goalie.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Carolina Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty is trying to sell his Las Vegas mansion for nearly $12 million. Pacioretty was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Hurricanes in July.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras $1,500.00 for slashing San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning. They also fined New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas $5,000.00 for interference on Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Actor Andrew Duncan, who played announcer Jim Carr in the 1977 movie “Slap Shot”, has died. His age and cause of death were not revealed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Duncan’s family, friends and co-stars. His character in Slap Shot was among the many who helped make that film a cult classic. Check out this link for his most memorable scene.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 2, 2022

by | Nov 2, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – November 2, 2022

How will the Canadiens address their surplus of forwards? What’s the latest on the Senators’ contract talks with Alex Formenton? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu reports the Montreal Canadiens will face a delicate balancing act of managing their surplus of forwards this season. They’re currently carrying 15 forwards but will have to move one of them once defenseman Joel Edmundson returns from injury.

The Canadiens could send rookie Juraj Slafkovsky to their AHL affiliate as he’s exempt from waivers. However, the 18-year-old winger’s performance thus far doesn’t merit demotion.

Montreal Canadiens winger Evgenii Dadonov (NHL Images)

Basu believes they don’t want to put affordable forward Michael Pezzetta on waivers because he’d likely be claimed by another club. He speculates it could instead be a veteran such as Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov or Mike Hoffman who could get waived and demoted.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan believes Dadonov could become the odd man out among the Canadiens forwards. He suggested a trade would be best for the 33-year-old winger as he clearly doesn’t have a future in Montreal.

Dadonov was a healthy scratch during their 7-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and didn’t practice or play with the club against Minnesota on Tuesday. Cowan points out the Russian winger has no points in eight games and carries a cap hit of $5 million for this season, though he’ll earn $6.5 million in actual salary.

TVA SPORTS: Marc-Andre Perreault reports Dadonov’s absence was due to a non-COVID-related illness.

Perreault also spoke with Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes during last night’s game against the Wild. Hughes told him Dadonov’s agent called him on Friday to discuss his client’s situation, something he understood as a former agent himself. Perreault reported Dadonov met with Hughes on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dadonov hasn’t really done much this season to earn more playing time with the Canadiens. As Cowan pointed out, his performance combined with his contract makes him tough to move at this stage of the season. The Habs will have to retain part of his cap hit if they want to do that right now.

Slafkovsky has made steady improvement thus far but the Canadiens will soon have to reach a decision with the 18-year-old winger. He’s played seven games and can only play two more before the Canadiens can send him down to Laval if they want to push the start of his entry-level contract ahead to next season. That would be the easiest way to address the issue but Basu doesn’t believe that would be the right decision.

They could put Dadonov, Drouin or Hoffman on waivers and demote one of them, though that means they’ll only get $1.125 million in cap relief by doing so. Those three have been disappointing thus far with a grand total of four points between them. Finding a taker for one of them in the trade market is a daunting challenge.

UPDATE ON FORMENTON’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE SENATORS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports there hasn’t been much progress in contract talks between the Ottawa Senators and Alex Formenton. He claimed the Senators “have reasons for slow-playing this situation”. However, they have until Dec. 1 to sign Formenton or else he becomes unavailable to play the remainder of this season.

Dreger said some believe a trade is more likely. He also suggested, “Europe, long term, could be an option as well”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Formenton is a 23-year-old winger who completed his entry-level contract last season. He’s a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights who showed promise last season with 18 goals and 32 points in 79 games.

It’s been radio silence from the Senators and Formenton’s camp on this situation. That’s sparked speculation that he could be one of the players involved in the sexual assault allegations leveled against members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team. Formenton didn’t attend training camp and hasn’t made any statements or conducted any interviews.

Whatever the reason behind the stalemate, the clock is ticking regarding his playing status in the NHL for this season.