NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2022

by | May 30, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2022

The Hurricanes and Rangers prepare for Game 7 in their second-round series, Jason Spezza retires, plus the latest on the Avalanche, Oilers, Lightning and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers have the heart and fortitude to pick up their first road win in their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. He also believes the club’s identity stems from goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who has garnered a growing edge over the Hurricanes’ Antti Raanta as this series progresses.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin sees no point in dwelling on his club’s loss in Game 6 when they have a good opportunity in front of them in Game 7. “Looking back at the Boston series, no one really talks about the fact we lost three on the road. You talks about the fact we won the series,” said Slavin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes haven’t won on the road in this postseason but they’ve also never lost on home ice. If that trend continues, they’ll defeat the Rangers tonight and advance to meet the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Conference Finals.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza has announced his retirement (NHL Images).

On the other hand, the Rangers’ have ridden Shesterkin’s solid goaltending and a never-say-die attitude to push the favored Hurricanes to a seventh and deciding game in this series. They could pull off the upset if Shesterkin continues to shine and Raanta struggles as he did in Game 6.

TORONTO SUN: Jason Spezza announced his retirement on Sunday after 19 seasons as an NHL player to become a special assistant to Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Duba. Spezza spent the past three seasons with the Leafs. He began his career with the Ottawa Senators in 2002-03, spending 11 seasons with them before moving on to the Dallas Stars for five seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Spezza in his new role. His best seasons were with the Senators, helping them become one of the dominant clubs in the league between 2002-03 to 2007-08, culminating in reaching the 2007 Stanley Cup Final.

Spezza holds the Senators’ single-season record with 71 assists (2005-06) and tallied 87-plus points in three seasons between 2005-06 and 2007-08. He is second all-time among Senators scorers with 251 goals, 436 assists and 687 points.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Leon Draisaitl was a dominant force in the Edmonton Oilers’ second-round victory over the Calgary Flames. He set an NHL record for most assists in a playoff series with 15 and accomplished this while playing with a suspected ankle injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl’s accomplishments have been overshadowed by the scoring of Connor McDavid and Evander Kane. With the focus on those two, he’s been able to thrive with his playmaking skills.

THE DENVER POST: Bo Byram has established himself as the Colorado Avalanche’s No. 3 defenseman in this postseason, filling in for the sidelined Samuel Girard after he suffered a season-ending sternum injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a difficult season for Byram as he’s had to battle back from concussion symptoms that limited him to just 30 games during the regular season. Finally healthy, he’s showing the skills that enticed the Avalanche to select him fourth overall in the 2019 draft.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Still awaiting the winner of the Hurricanes-Rangers series, the Lightning are simulating games in practice in anticipation of the start of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The long layoff gives the Lightning’s banged-up players an opportunity to heal and return to action. However, the downside of that layoff is the risk of getting stale from a lack of serious game action. We’ll find out on Wednesday how much of an effect it’ll have on the Lightning’s performance.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Top NHL prospect Shane Wright will meet with the Canadiens at this week’s NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. After that, he’ll be flown to New Jersey to meet with the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hold the first-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft and are expected to select Wright. However, the Devils must be prepared in case the Habs choose someone else.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz interviewed with the Red Wings regarding their vacant bench boss position. He’s also met with the Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers and Vegas Golden Knights. Trotz has reportedly told those interested clubs he won’t make his decision until he’s sure it’s the right one for himself and his family.

SPORTSNET: Vegas Golden Knights goalie Laurent Brossoit recently underwent hip surgery. The club is hopeful he’ll be available for the start of next season.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 29, 2022

by | May 29, 2022

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 29, 2022

The latest on the Flames and Bruins plus the market value of Andrew Copp in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

FLAMES EXPECTED TO START TALKS WITH GAUDREAU AND TKACHUK SOON

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman believes the Calgary Flames won’t waste time starting contract talks with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Gaudreau, 28, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer while the 24-year-old Tkachuk is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is a year away from UFA eligibility.

Friedman believes the team will approach negotiations quickly and aggressively to find out where things stand with both players. That will determine whether they can re-sign them or what their next course of action will be.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Steve Mcfarlane reports Gaudreau sounded like he’d very much like to remain with the Flames during his end-of-season press conference on Saturday. He spoke of how much he and his wife enjoy living in Calgary and admitted he could have a considerable legacy if he remains with the Flames. The winger indicated he’ll sit down with his agent sometime this week to discuss what’s best for himself and his family.

Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Flames general manager Brad Treliving said earlier this season he’d move heaven and earth to retain his club’s best offensive player. During Saturday’s presser, he reiterated his intent to sign Gaudreau.

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson and Daniel Austin report Tkachuk is open to a long-term deal with the Flames. “Absolutely,” he said. “I’ve loved it here. I’ve grown up here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The cost of re-signing Gaudreau and Tkachuk will take a big chunk out of their salary-cap payroll for years. It could end up costing a combined $20 million to keep them in the fold.

Cap Friendly shows the Flames with $55.575 million invested in 12 players for 2022-23. They can afford to sign Gaudreau and Tkachuk but won’t have much left for Mangiapane or to fill out the rest of the roster and address their roster weaknesses, such as bolstering the blueline depth.

As I’ve said before, Treliving will have to shed salary to make this work. Sean Monahan is frequently mentioned as a trade candidate but his $6.35 million cap hit, 10-team no-trade list and the ongoing decline in his performance due to nagging hip injuries make him difficult to move.

Mikael Backlund has been suggested as a trade option. He’s signed through 2023-24 with an annual average value of $5.35 million and a 10-team no-trade list. The 33-year-old’s age could be a concern but he’d still have value as a middle-six center.

LATEST ON THE BRUINS

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Nick Goss believes the Bruins’ top-three offseason priorities are finding a top-six center, adding a scoring winger and bringing more young players into their lineup.

The Bruins will desperately need a center if captain Patrice Bergeron retires. If he returns, it’ll still be a pressing issue for their second line. Neither Erik Haula or Charlie Coyle are legitimate top-six centers. Free-agent options include Claude Giroux, Evgeni Malkin and Nazem Kadri but the Bruins would have to clear cap space to add one of them.

What happens with Jake DeBrusk could affect efforts to add a scoring winger. DeBrusk intends to take some time to determine if he’ll withdraw last November’s trade request. The Bruins can’t afford to move him unless they get a similar player in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa points out the Bruins need to clear salary-cap space if they intend to add a center. He proposed trading Mike Reilly ($3 million through 2023-24) or Craig Smith ($3 million through 2022-23) or buying out Nick Foligno ($3.8 million through 2022-23).

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy wondered if the Bruins will consider moving blueliner Brandon Carlo in a deal for a top-six center. He also noted Bruins fans clamoring for the club to shop Matt Grzelcyk. Murphy indicated Connor Clifton was “out there in the trade market” at various points this season so it wouldn’t be surprising if he is again.

If the Bruins aren’t going to go all-in building up their depth at center, Murphy suggested bolstering their top-four defense. Dallas Stars rearguard John Klingberg could be worth looking into in the UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This summer will be challenging for Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. He faces the potential retirement of first-line center Patrice Bergeron, first-line left winger Brad Marchand will miss the opening two months of the season recovering from hip surgery, and he must free up cap room to address the roster weaknesses.

The Bruins are screwed at center if Bergeron retires. That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns for one more season to buy the club time to shore up their depth at that position.

DeBrusk or Carlo could be used as trade bait to add a center or a winger. However, interested clubs could insist the Bruins included a decent draft pick or prospect in the deal.

Trading Reilly or Smith or buying out Foligno will help clear cap space. Those savings, however, are no certainty that Bruins management can find the right players to address their roster needs in this summer’s trade and free-agent market.

A LOOK AT CONTRACT COMPARABLES FOR COPP

SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek examined the possible contract comparables for Andrew Copp. The 27-year-old forward was a great trade acquisition by the New York Rangers. He’s slated to become a UFA in July.

Marek speculates Copp’s next deal could be somewhere between what Phillip Danault got from the Los Angeles Kings last summer and what Zach Hyman received from the Edmonton Oilers. Danault got six years and $33 million while Hyman’s was seven years and $38.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Danault and Hyman are each earning $5.5 million annually. Copp’s current contract pays him $3.64 million this season.

The Rangers are believed to be interested in re-signing him but he could price himself out of their market. They’ve got $12 million in cap space with Ryan Strome also slated to become a UFA while winger Kaapo Kakko is coming off his entry-level contract and backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev is an RFA with arbitration rights.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2022

by | May 29, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2022

The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes to force Game 7 of their second-round series, plus the latest on the Oilers, Avalanche, Lightning and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Carolina Hurricane and New York Rangers.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Igor Shesterkin made 37 saves and collected two assists to backstop New York to a 5-2 victory over Carolina in Game 6 on Saturday night. Filip Chytil tallied twice and Adam Fox picked up two assists for the Rangers. Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta got the hook after giving up three goals on 13 shots. With the series tied at three games apiece, Game 7 goes Monday, May 30 at 8 pm ET.

The Rangers also got an unexpected boost as versatile checking-line forward Barclay Goodrow returned to the lineup. He’s missed the last 11 games with a suspected ankle fracture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin also received a minor penalty for interference. With the win and the assists, he had what one pundit called a “Tom Barrasso hat trick.” He’s been outstanding for the Rangers in this series, frustrating the Hurricanes’ leading scorers.

The Hurricanes’ road woes in this postseason continued in Game 6. While they’ve been unbeaten on home ice in these playoffs, there’s a good chance that streak could end on Monday if Raanta has another shaky performance and Shesterkin remains on top of his game.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: As Connor McDavid prepares for his first-ever Conference Finals, the Oilers’ captain acknowledged the need for everyone on his club to step up. “It takes everybody. Everybody up and down the lineup and all the people behind the scenes. The staff and everybody. It takes an absolute army. That’s the mentality we have,” said McDavid.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche’s roster depth was crucial to the club’s second-round victory over the St. Louis Blues. It could take a bigger role as they face off against the Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series is being hyped as a showdown between McDavid and Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon. Roster depth, however, will make the difference here. The Avs certainly made the most of theirs to overcome the Blues. The Oilers also got contributions throughout their lineup thus far though they were overshadowed by the offensive exploits of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane.

Goaltending could determine the outcome of this series. The Oilers’ Mike Smith and the Avs’ Darcy Kuemper have given up questionable goals but also rose to the occasion with crucial saves. It’ll be interesting to see whether that trend carries over in this upcoming series.

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point is said to be progressing in his recovery from a leg injury suffered in the opening round that sidelined him for the entire second-round series with the Florida Panthers. Head coach Jon Cooper believes Point is closer to playing in round three than he was in the previous round. However, Cooper could offer no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Point’s absence didn’t adversely affect the Lightning in their second-round sweep of the Panthers. However, they could use the proven postseason performer as they face what could be tougher competition in the Hurricanes or Rangers in the next round.

THE SCORE: Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev said he played Games 5 and 6 against the Oilers with a dislocated shoulder. He suffered the injury in Game 6 of their first-round series with the Dallas Stars. Tanev will undergo surgery this week and will require four-to-six months of recovery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, what NHL players are prepared to physically endure to skate in the Stanley Cup playoffs boggles the mind.

SPORTSNET’s Eric Francis reported Flames winger Milan Lucic played with a sprained ACL. Nikita Zadorov had two broken ribs, Andrew Mangiapane had a bad wrist and Matthew Tkachuk had an injured hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another reminder that if an NHL player seems to be “underperforming”, it’s sometimes because they’re trying to play through a serious injury that’s hampering their efforts.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson suffered a fractured foot playing for Sweden on May 15 at the IIHF World Championships in Finland. He will require four-to-six weeks of recovery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekman-Larsson missed two games but returned to play against Canada in the quarterfinals. The Canadians eliminated the Swedes in that game.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 28, 2022

by | May 28, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – May 28, 2022

A look at the Blues’ potential offseason plans plus the latest speculation over Johnny Gaudreau’s future in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE BLUES?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton looked at what could be in store for the St. Louis Blues following their elimination from the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche.

St. Louis Blues winger David Perron (NHL Images).

She anticipates they’ll re-sign Ville Husso before his eligibility for unrestricted free agent status on July 13. Despite the 27-year-old goaltender’s ordinary postseason performance, he’s a good complement in the crease with starter Jordan Binnington.

Vladimir Tarasenko had requested a trade last summer but that was overshadowed this season by the Blues’ improved performance. General manager Doug Armstrong will have to find the right return if the 30-year-old winger still wants out.

David Perron is also slated to become a UFA this summer. He had a terrific postseason but it remains to be determined where the 33-year-old winger fits into the Blues’ plans.

Armstrong must also shore up his defense corps. That includes new contracts for restricted free agents like Scott Perunovich and Niko Mikkola as well as adding some veterans who can play significant roles.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Ben Frederickson recently opined that the Blues must fight hard to keep Perron in the fold. He cites the winger’s value to the club during this postseason, especially during the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Frederickson also noted the Blues struggled without Perron during last year’s postseason series against the Avs when he was sidelined by COVID-19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Frederickson acknowledged Perron’s age and concussion history, but also believes the Blues can’t compete for the Stanley Cup next season without him. He makes a good point. Perron finished this postseason as the Blues’ leading scorer and is second among all scorers through two rounds with nine goals. He always steps up his game in the playoffs.

The problem, as always, is salary cap space. Cap Friendly shows the Blues with over $72 million invested in 17 players for 2022-23 with Perron, Husso, Perunovich and Mikkola as their notable free agents. Nick Leddy is also a UFA but I think he’ll be departing this summer. Ditto 36-year-old center Tyler Bozak.

Perron earned $4 million annually on a four-year deal and might accept a similar salary on a shorter term to stay in St. Louis. Husso’s due for a significant raise over his $750K salary for this season and could get perhaps $4 million annually on the open market.

Assuming Armstrong can re-sign those crucial free agents, he won’t have enough left to bring in some veteran help on the blueline. He’ll have to shed a salary or two. Shipping out Tarasenko if he still wants out will remove $7 million from the Blues’ cap payroll but it creates another problem of finding a suitable replacement.

Armstrong must also ensure he’ll have sufficient long-term cap space to sign rising stars like Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas to contract extensions next summer. The duo will be RFAs with arbitration rights next summer and in line for big raises over their identical $2.8 million cap hits of their current deals.

LATEST ON JOHNNY GAUDREAU

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson wonders what the future holds for Johnny Gaudreau following the Flames’ second-round elimination by the Edmonton Oilers. The 28-year-old winger is coming off a career-best 115-point performance and is slated to become a UFA on July 13. He’s completing a six-year contract with an annual average value of $6.75 million.

Gilbertson reminded us of GM Brad Treliving claiming he’d move heaven and earth to keep Gaudreau in Calgary. Without their first-line engine, they could take a significant step back from this season’s improvement.

If Gaudreau stays, he’ll be getting the richest contract in franchise history. Treliving has the advantage of being able to offer an eight-year deal whereas the winger would get seven years via free agency. Re-signing him, however, could complicate efforts to sign RFAs like Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Sam Carchidi wondered if Gaudreau would sign with the Flyers if he tests the open market in July. He grew up in South Jersey and was a Flyers fan growing up. In 2016, Gaudreau observed that everyone wants to play for their hometown team eventually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I noted the Flames’ cap situation and that of the Flyers in my May 27 Rumor Mill. I don’t doubt Treliving will do what he can to keep Gaudreau in Calgary, but he’ll end up having to dump a salary or two to make room for the winger’s new contract and those of Tkachuk, Mangiapane and Kylington.

The Flyers, meanwhile, have much less cap room than the Flames. If they can’t free up between $9 million and $10 million to sign Gaudreau, the dream of Johnny Hockey rocking a Flyers jersey won’t have a chance of becoming a reality.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner mused about the possibility of the New York Islanders signing Gaudreau. With probably $8 million in cap space once they re-sign RFA Noah Dobson, they’ll have to shed salary if they hope to come up with enough to sign him. Cost-cutting candidates could include Josh Bailey, Semyon Varlamov or Anthony Beauvillier.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau could be a terrific fit alongside Islanders center Mathew Barzal. I think GM Lou Lamoriello will try to add a scoring forward this summer but could opt for a more affordable option, such as Nashville’s Filip Forsberg.

THE ATHLETIC: Hailey Salvian looked at some possible cost-cutting trade options for the Flames. Milan Lucic is a year away from UFA status but his eight-team trade list is a stumbling block. Mikael Backlund is 33 and has two more years left at $5.35 million annually with a 10-team no-trade list.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2022

by | May 28, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2022

The Avalanche advance over the Blues to the Western Conference Finals, the latest on the Hurricanes and Rangers, Brad Marchand is sidelined by hip surgery and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years with a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of their second-round series. J.T. Compher scored twice and Darren Helm snapped a 2-2 tie with 5.6 seconds remaining in regulation time. Justin Faulk and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues.

Colorado Avalanche forward J.T. Compher (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a nail-biting, tight-checking contest that seemed headed to overtime until Helm’s goal in the dying seconds of the third period. The Avalanche are 5-0 on the road in this postseason and will face the Edmonton Oilers in the Conference Finals.

This was a disappointing end to a better-than-anticipated season for the Blues. They finished third overall in the Central Division with 109 points and defeated the Minnesota Wild in the opening round. Their potential offseason moves will be examined in today’s Rumor Mill update.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant expressed confidence in his struggling stars Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider heading into Game 6 tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. “They’re character players, they’ll do it for us. They’ve done it for us all year,” said Gallant.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Speaking of the Hurricanes, they’ll need more from sniper Andrei Svechnikov. He was scoreless in six games until tallying a crucial goal during Game 5 against the Rangers on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers need Panarin and Kreider at their best to avoid elimination on home ice tonight in Game 6. Meanwhile, Svechnikov’s goal-scoring skills will be vital for the Hurricanes to pick up their first road win of the postseason and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Finals between the Avalanche and Oilers begin Tuesday, May 31 at 8 pm ET. The Eastern Conference Finals start on Wednesday, June 1 at 8 pm ET between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the winner of the Hurricanes-Rangers series.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger Brad Marchand underwent surgery to repair labral tears in both hips and will require six months to recover.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means the Bruins will be without Marchand for the first two months of 2022-23. They’ll also be without defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to start the season as he recently underwent shoulder surgery.

THE PROVINCE: Duke Boeser, father of Vancouver Canucks star Brock Boeser, passed away Friday at age 61 following a long battle with cancer and dementia.

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

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reports Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev played with a torn labrum, a separated shoulder and a sprained neck in the final two games of his club’s playoff series with the Oilers. He’s slated to undergo surgery next week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The lengths NHL players will go to play through pain in the postseason never ceases to amaze me. Here’s hoping Tanev makes a full recovery.

MLIVE.COM: Check out the trailer for ESPN’s upcoming documentary on the Avalanche-Red Wings rivalry from 1996 to 2002.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was one of the greatest rivalries in NHL history and certainly among the best I’ve witnessed. The intensity of the games and the hatred between the two teams were off the charts.

SPORTSNET: A change to a Michigan insurance law means Vladimir Konstantinov and thousand of others who suffered serious traffic-related injuries could lose their round-the-clock medical care.

Konstantinov suffered career-ending and life-changing brain injuries from a limousine crash in 1997 and requires constant care at home. The change to the law and the high costs of his home care could force him to be put into an institution where restraints or medication would be required to keep him safe.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings and the NHLPA are reportedly looking into ways to maintain Konstantinov’s home care. Here’s hoping they can work something out for him. At least he has a wealthy hockey club and a players’ union to help him. The other Michigan residents facing the same predicament won’t have that option.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2022

by | May 27, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2022

A look at the Flames’ possible offseason decisions plus the latest roundup of Penguins speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE FLAMES?

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski believes the Calgary Flames’ offseason decisions will be tied to Johnny Gaudreau. The 28-year-old left wing had a career-best 115-point performance this season but he’s also slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau (NHL Images).

The Flames must also sign restricted free agent wingers Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane. Tkachuk tallied 42 goals this season and Mangipane 35 goals.

Wyshynski observes the Flames have 12 players under contract for 2022-23. If general manager Brad Treliving tinkers with the roster it’ll likely be on the defense as the forward lines are deep and talented. He also mentioned center Sean Monahan has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.375 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly indicates the Flames have over $55 million invested in next season’s roster. Tkachuk is completing a three-year deal with an annual average value of $7 million but his actual salary for this season was $9 million, which will be the cost to the Flames to qualify his rights unless they can agree to a new deal before the July 11 qualifying offer deadline.

Mangiapane earned $2.425 million annually on his current deal and could be seeking a raise between $4.5 and $5 million per season. RFA Defenseman Oliver Kylington will be seeking much more than the $750K he earned this season.

That’s why there’s been speculation suggesting the Flames could trade or buy out Monahan to free up cap space. However, he underwent hip surgery several weeks ago and could be ineligible for a buyout if he’s not fully recovered by then. That would also affect efforts to trade him.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Giana Han wonders if the Flyers might be able to woo Gaudreau if he hits the open market in July. The South Jersey native grew up a Flyers fan and suggested back in 2017 that it would be “sweet” to play for them one day.

Han speculates Gaudreau could command between $9 million and $10 million on his next contract. NBC hockey analyst Keith Jones said adding the gifted winger would provide some real excitement for a fan base that hasn’t had much to cheer about lately. However, it would take a lot of cap maneuvering as well as hoping Gaudreau would accept a hometown discount.

The Flyers have over $77 million invested in 18 players next season with all their core players are under contract. They’ll have to shed a lot of salary to sign Gaudreau even if he accepts a hometown discount, which I doubt he will.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

TRIBLIVE.COM: Seth Rorabaugh reported earlier this week that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall’s priority remains re-signing pending UFAs Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. He acknowledged his club’s limited salary cap space but remains hopeful of reaching agreements with both players, though there’s no timeline right now. Their statuses will reflect how the rest of the roster takes shape.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reported Hextall said he’d focus elsewhere if he can’t sign Malkin but indicated his focus “first and foremost” is on the 35-year-old center. He wouldn’t commit to bringing back RFA forwards Danton Heinen and Kaspari Kapanen. He also indicated he’d be willing to have trade discussions regarding one of his left-handed defensemen to make room for Pierre-Olivier Joseph.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Paul Zeise believes the Penguins better upgrade their goaltending if they’re bringing Malkin and Letang back. He doesn’t feel this season’s tandem of Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith (also a pending UFA) is good enough to carry the Penguins to the Stanley Cup, which should be the purpose of retaining Malkin and Letang.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dave Molinari believes the list of viable candidates to replace Letang starts and ends with the Dallas Stars’ John Klingberg.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal examined the cost for the Vancouver Canucks to acquire John Marino. He cited speculation from earlier this season suggesting the Penguins’ defenseman could be available for the right price. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Canucks kicked tires on Marino before the trade deadline. Dayal observed it’s no secret Canucks hockey ops president (and former Penguins GM) Jim Rutherford is a Marino fan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have $59.2 million invested in 16 players. Re-signing Malkin and Letang could eat up around $12 million to $14 million in cap space. The Penguins can afford it but it will hamper efforts to bolster their roster next season.

We could see Hextall shed some salary to make room for a younger defenseman like Joseph or to bring in depth in goal. Marino and his $4.4 million annually through 2026-27 could be an option.

There aren’t many palatable choices for goaltenders via free agency unless they’re bringing back Marc-Andre Fleury. The trade market is also thin on goalies this season.

Heinen played well enough to earn an affordable short-term deal perhaps. Kapanen, however, could end up on the trade block given his disappointing performance this season.