NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2021

by | Aug 24, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 24, 2021

The preseason schedule is released plus the latest on  Jaden Schwartz, David Krejci, Henrik Lundqvist and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2021-22 preseason schedule was released on Monday. It begins on Saturday, Sept. 25 as the Montreal Canadiens travel to Toronto to meet the Maple Leafs for an afternoon contest. The Minnesota Wild will face off against the St. Louis Blues in an evening contest.

Seattle Kraken winger Jaden Schwartz (NHL Images).

The following day features the Seattle Kraken hosting the Vancouver Canucks at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The schedule concludes with 11 games on Saturday, Oct. 9.

THE ATHLETIC: Jaden Schwartz revealed he almost didn’t play with the St. Louis Blues last season following the sudden death of his father. It was the relationships within the organization and the memory of his dad that convinced him to play. Now signed with the Seattle Kraken, he’s looking forward to a new chapter in his life and career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schwartz was hampered by an oblique injury last season but the loss of his father also affected his performance. He’ll be expected to play a leadership role with the Kraken in their upcoming inaugural campaign.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Former Bruins center David Krejci was formally introduced yesterday as the latest member of the Czech Republic club HC Olomouc. While the Bruins have left the door open for Krejci to return later this season, the 35-year-old center appears intent on playing back home.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Krejci plays one game in the Czech Republic he’d have to clear waivers to return to the Bruins or any other NHL club this season.

NEW YORK POST: Henrik Lundqvist is looking forward to having his No. 30 raised to the rafters of Madison Square Garden by the New York Rangers at some point in the coming season. He played 15 seasons with the Blueshirts, winning a franchise-record 459 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This report came out before Sunday’s news of the passing of Rangers legend Rob Gilbert. Lundqvist tweeted out his condolences on Monday.

TSN: Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes died Monday at age 31. The older brother of Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes, Jimmy spent seven seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils from 2011-12 to 2017-18, totaling 54 goals and 109 points in 334 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hayes’ family, friends and former teammates.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and his wife Aleksandra recently welcomed son Knox Matiss Merzlikins into their family. His middle name honors the memory of Merzlkins’ friend and teammate Matiss Kivlenieks, who died last month during a fireworks incident.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 23, 2021

by | Aug 23, 2021

NHL Rumor Mill – August 23, 2021

The latest on Filip Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm plus a look at some Blackhawks trade candidates in today’s NHL rumor mill.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Adam Vingan was asked whether the Nashville Predators should re-sign Filip Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm to long- or short-term contracts. They’re slated to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (NHL Images).

Vingan expects Ekholm to get a four-year deal worth around $6 million annually. He doesn’t anticipate the 32-year-old defenseman will drag out the process.

Forsberg’s negotiations, on the other hand, could get more complicated. The 27-year-old winger is in his playing prime as the Predators engage in a “competitive rebuild”. General manager David Poile will have to sell Forsberg on his short- and long-term plans for the Predators.

Poile must also decide Forsberg’s worth. He’s currently earning an annual cap hit of $6 million. While he’s the Preds’ most talented forward, he’s inconsistent and injury-prone.

Vingan believes Forsberg could get up to $8 million annually on the open market. He feels the Predators should avoid paying that much but it’s hard to see Forsberg accepting less than the $8 million annually being paid to teammates Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forsberg’s contract situation will be worth following if he’s unsigned when the season begins. Vingan may be right about not paying him more than $8 million annually. However, having Johansen and Duchene each earning that much makes it difficult for Poile to justify paying Forsberg less.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we start hearing Forsberg’s name surface in this season’s rumor mill the longer he goes unsigned. That speculation could go into overdrive if the Predators are out of playoff contention as the trade deadline approaches.

Ekholm was the subject of intense trade chatter last season but that quickly died off as the Predators surged into a playoff spot in the weeks leading up to the April trade deadline. He seems keen to stay and Poile wants to keep him. I’ll be surprised if a new deal isn’t worked out before the season begins in October.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: With the Blackhawks bringing in additional depth and flexibility to their roster for this season, Ben Pope examined which players could become trade candidates.

Among the forwards, Dylan Strome could be shopped but that might not happen if captain Jonathan Toews isn’t ready to return to action in September and October. If that happens, Strome could get a second chance as a second-line center.

Brett Connolly could also hit the trade block. He’s 29 and overpaid at $3.5 million per season through 2022-23. With Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen expected to split the goalie duties, Malcolm Subban could be traded rather than lost for nothing via waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2021

by | Aug 23, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 23, 2021

Rangers Hall-of-Famer Rod Gilbert passes away plus the latest on Jack Eichel, David Savard and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers yesterday announced Rod Gilbert had passed away at age 80. Fondly known as “Mr. Ranger” as a team ambassador and a community relations representative, Gilbert was among the greatest players in franchise history.

New York Rangers Hall-of-Famer Rod Gilbert (NHL.com).

An eight-time all-star, he spent his 18-season NHL career with the Rangers from 1960 to 1978. He’s their all-time scoring leader with 406 goals and 1,021 points  He also won the Masterton Trophy in 1975-76. Gilbert was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 and he became the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

Gilbert was part of the Rangers’ vaunted GAG Line (Goal-a-Game) alongside Jean Ratelle and Vic Hatfield in the early 1970s. He helped the Blueshirts reach the 1972 Stanley Cup Final and was a member of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A talented offensive star, Gilbert was also among the NHL’s classiest players. He overcame a serious back injury early in his career to become one of the league’s most popular stars in the 1970s. My sincere condolences to Gilbert’s family, friends, former teammates and the Rangers organization.

THE FOURTH PERIOD: David Pagnotta cites sources claiming Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel has yet to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck. It’s increasingly unlikely he’ll be medically cleared to start the 2021-22 regular season regardless of which team he’s playing for.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The impasse persists between Eichel and the Sabres front office over which surgical procedure he’ll undergo. He wants disc replacement surgery while team doctors recommend fusion surgery.

Eichel’s situation has also made him the subject of ongoing trade speculation. Pagnotta suggests a team could still trade for the Sabres center even if he’s unavailable for the start of the season. Given his hefty contract and the Sabres’ expensive asking price, there doesn’t appear to be many clubs keen to take that risk.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Sabres, the club’s long decline, the recent trading away of several core players and Eichel’s expected departure is hurting season ticket sales for the coming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A decade of suck thanks to meddling ownership and an ever-changing cast of general managers and coaches tend to have that effect on the gate.

THE SCORE: David Savard said the Montreal Canadiens intend to win the Stanley Cup this season. Savard won the big mug last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, defeating the Canadiens in five games. He said he liked how the Habs played against the Bolts in the Final and believes he and others with championship experience can help them go all the way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard was signed by the Canadiens earlier this summer as a free agent. I admire his positive attitude and enthusiasm but I have my doubts we’ll see the Habs hoisting the Cup next spring.

The Canadiens face a tough challenge in the Eastern Conference. The defending champion Lightning, the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes could finish among the top four. The Habs also have to contend with two flawed but still talented teams in the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, aging but still skilled clubs like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, and improving teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

They’ll also need promising young forwards Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi to take their next steps toward stardom. And of course, they need goaltender Carey Price to be at the top once he’s fully recovered from offseason surgery.

AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan examines several possible Arizona locations for the Coyotes if the city of Glendale carries forward with its decision to opt-out of its arena lease agreement.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators fans will need to provide proof of double vaccination against COVID-19 to attend their home games this season.










Is The Coyotes’ Saga in Arizona Drawing To A Close?

by | Aug 22, 2021

Is The Coyotes’ Saga in Arizona Drawing To A Close?

​The city of Glendale’s decision to opt-out of its lease agreement for Gila River Arena with the Arizona Coyotes prompted speculation about the club’s future among fans and pundits.

Some observers, including NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, think this is merely a bluff by the city of Glendale to secure a better lease agreement from the Coyotes. That doesn’t appear to be the case. After years of late or delinquent payments, the city council seems to have had enough.

Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has explored constructing a new arena closer to downtown Phoenix for the past couple of years. There’s no indication the club is close to securing a viable location.

Barring a last-minute change of heart by Glendale’s city council, the Coyotes will be scrambling to find a new home for the 2022-23 season. Even if Meruelo finds a suitable spot for a new arena, it would take two or three seasons before it would be ready.

This is just the latest chapter in the long, sad saga of the Coyotes’ story since its original incarnation as the original Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996. A quarter-century of roster mismanagement, the move to Glendale, multiple owners, poor attendance and a culture of losing have turned this franchise into a league-wide laughingstock.

Despite the Coyotes’ woes, however, hockey is actually thriving in Arizona.

The Coyotes’ small but loyal fan base has stuck with the club through thick and mostly thin. The club has also played an ongoing role in sponsoring and developing youth hockey in the state.

A 2019 USA Hockey report revealed Arizona ranked second among all US NHL markets in total growth percentage of the sport over the previous five years. The state ranked first that year among those markets in girls eight and younger growth percentage, and girls 19 and younger youth growth percentage. It was also ranked third in total growth percentage in one year.

Arizona is also producing NHL talent, with Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews the state’s most well-recognized player. In 2020, ESPN.com reported Matthews was having a positive effect on youth hockey in the state. He’s inspiring a young generation of Arizona players.

Meanwhile, several former NHL players who have retired around Phoenix have taken up coaching youth hockey in the area. The only drawback to hockey’s rapid growth in the state is the lack of suitable ice facilities to accommodate the growing number of players.

Nevertheless, the Coyotes critics will point to the club’s soap-opera existence and years of low attendance as justification to relocate the team. Some suggest moving to Houston, Texas, where Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, could still be keen to own an NHL franchise. Others propose a former NHL market such as Quebec City, or to a city such as Kansas City with an NHL-size arena.

Rest assured the NHL, led by commissioner Bettman, will pull out the stops to keep the Coyotes in Arizona just as it has since former owner Jerry Moyes put the team into bankruptcy in 2009.

Moyes hoped to sell the club to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who wanted to relocate the franchise to Hamilton, Ontario. The league went to court to prevent it from happening. It has since done all it can since to keep the club in Arizona.

The main reason, of course, is the market size. The metropolitan area of Phoenix is the 10th largest in the United States with over 4.9 million people as of 2019, one the NHL doesn’t want to abandon.

Houston’s market is over 2 million larger but the NHL already has a franchise in Texas. While the state of Texas is big enough to support two NHL teams, the Dallas Stars might not be keen to have a rival on its patch potentially siphoning away fans and dollars.

While the Coyotes will have the league’s full support, the franchise could now be in more real danger of moving than at any time in its history. If Meruelo fails to find a suitable temporary local venue while a new arena is built (assuming one will be constructed), the Coyotes will be forced to play out of state while they await their new home.

Bettman indicated Meruelo remains committed to a new arena, but that could be easier said than done. An in-depth report earlier this year by The Athletic’s Katie Strang revealed financial woes were among several issues plaguing the club.

Construction of a new arena won’t be funded solely by the Coyotes. Meruelo will likely seek the financial support of local and state governments. Those discussions probably haven’t even started yet and could founder if public officials decline to pick up a hefty chunk of the tab.

The NHL carried the Coyotes for years but it can’t keep them in Arizona without a suitable arena. If that’s not coming within the next two or three years, the club’s much-anticipated relocation could become a reality.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 22, 2021

by | Aug 22, 2021

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 22, 2021

Could the Ducks attempt to acquire Jack Eichel and Vladimir Tarasenko? Could the Flyers shed some salary before the start of this season? Find out in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Eric Stephens was asked about the rumor linking the Anaheim Ducks to Jack Eichel. While Ducks management hasn’t publicly talked about the Buffalo Sabres center, they haven’t squelched the speculation.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Stephens felt any trade for Eichel could take place during the season after the 24-year-old center returns to the ice and proves he can still play at an elite level. A healthy Eichel would fit into the Ducks rebuilding plan.

Asked about the possibility of acquiring Eichel and St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasensko, Stephens pointed out their combined cap hit is $17.5 million. That move would mean trading away salaried players. Tarasenko’s history of shoulder surgeries would also be a concern.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cap Friendly shows the Ducks with over $14 million in projected cap space. They have room for one or the other but not both.

I believe the Ducks are among the serious suitors for Eichel. They can afford to take on his full cap hit, they possess depth in young assets to use as trade bait and could use a young superstar like Eichel to rebuild around.

However, I don’t see general manager Bob Murray pulling the trigger until he’s got assurances Eichel is 100 percent in health and performance. As Stephens suggested, interested clubs could prefer to see him play this season before making serious offers to the Sabres.

As for Tarasenko, I doubt Murray would be interested in the Blues winger. Apart from his injury history, he turns 30 in December and is only signed through 2022-23. The Ducks GM wants assets that fit into his club’s long-term future.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall observed the Flyers will be right up against the salary cap when this season opens following their signing of Travis Sanheim to a two-year deal. He believes they’ll have different ways to become cap compliant before the start of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers have around $281K in projected cap space with 22 players under contract for the coming season. That doesn’t leave much room for other roster moves that might become necessary, especially if short-term injuries start sidelining some players.

They could demote waiver-exempt players such as Morgan Frost or Tanner Laczynski but it would leave them short another roster player. It could also get complicated if they play well enough in training camp and preseason to secure a full-time roster spot.

Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher was very busy wheeling and dealing in this summer’s trade market. Perhaps he’ll have another move in store to clear some additional cap space.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2021

by | Aug 22, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2021

Flyers avoid arbitration with Travis Sanheim plus the latest on Juuse Saros, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeny Svechnikov and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with Travis Sanheim by signing the 25-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $9.35 million contract.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was another quiet offseason for arbitrators. All of the 19 players scheduled for hearings wound up settling with their respective clubs.

Cap Friendly indicates the Flyers have just over $281K in remaining cap space. They could shed some salary to create some additional wiggle room for the coming season. 

THE TENNESSEAN: With a new contract signed, Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros is training in Helsinki with several other Finnish NHL players in preparation for the 2021-22 season. Saros inked a four-year, $20 million deal earlier this month.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Chicago Blackhawks created a minor buzz on Twitter with a photo of the jerseys of their offseason acquisition with Marc-Andre Fleury’s last name misspelled. The tweet was later removed and replaced with one showing his name spelled correctly. Fleury was acquired by the Blackhawks last month from the Vegas Golden Knights.

MLIVE.COM: Former Detroit Red Wings forward Evgeny Svechnikov signed a one-year AHL contract with the Manitoba Moose. He’ll attend the Winnipeg Jets training camp on a professional tryout offer in hope of securing a one-year, two-way deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick (19th overall, 2015), Svechnikov struggled to crack the rebuilding Red Wings’ roster. The Wings decided not to qualify his rights, making him an unrestricted free agent.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Seattle Kraken prospect Matty Beniers is returning to the University of Michigan for the coming season. Beniers was the second-overall pick in this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Owen Power (first overall, Buffalo Sabres) and Kent Johnson (fifth overall, Columbus Blue Jackets) are also returning to the University of Michigan for the coming season. The trio is keen to win the national championship before moving on to their NHL careers.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche goaltender Peter Budaj has returned to the franchise as a development goalie coach.