NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2025

by | May 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2025

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year, Oilers winger Zach Hyman’s postseason is over, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: For the third straight year, the Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Final, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images).

Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe snapped a 3-3 tie at 12:21 of the third period and Sam Bennett scored the insurance goal into an empty net to clinch the victory. Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist, while Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart each collected two assists.

Sebastian Aho tallied twice and Seth Jarvis had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who the Panthers have eliminated from two of the last three Eastern Conference Finals.

Reinhart returned to action after being sidelined since Game 2. His teammates Niko Mikkola and AJ Greer also rejoined the lineup after suffering undisclosed injuries in Game 3. Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury, but he is expected to be fine for the upcoming Stanley Cup Final. 

Hurricanes defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker missed this game. Chatfield’s been sidelined since Game 4 of their second-round series with Washington, while Walker’s been out since Game 2 of this series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Florida quickly rallied in the second to go up 3-2. Jarvis tied it for the Hurricanes in the third before Rodrigues and Bennett put it away for the Panthers.

The Hurricanes are a talented team, but they can’t match the Panthers’ roster depth and grit. They’re also lacking a game-breaking talent like Barkov and a reliable starting goalie like Sergei Bobrovsky, who doesn’t get rattled when opponents get physical around his net.

The Panthers’ victory prompted some observers to take to social media, calling for the league to address the so-called advantage that teams in tax-free states supposedly enjoy. The Panthers had two advantages this season, but they had nothing to do with being in a tax-free state.

One is the shrewd management of GM Bill Zito. Since being hired by the Panthers in 2020, he turned a perennial laughingstock into a three-time Stanley Cup Finalist, with the potential to win the Cup for the second straight year.

The other was Tkachuk going on long-term injury reserve over the final two months of the regular season, enabling the Panthers to use the cap flexibility to acquire impact players like winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones.

The Panthers cannot be faulted for doing as other clubs have done in the past, but LTIR is an issue being discussed in the current CBA negotiations.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Zach Hyman will undergo potentially playoff-ending surgery to repair an undisclosed upper-body injury (believed to be his right shoulder). He’s expected to be sidelined for the rest of the postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is fifth among the Oilers’ scorers this postseason with 11 goals in 15 games. His absence is a big blow to their scoring punch and will test their forward depth for the remainder of their playoff run.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars need more of an edge to their game if they hope to stave off elimination against Edmonton when the two clubs face off for Game 5 on Thursday in Dallas (8 pm ET). They’ve struggled to match the Oilers’ aggressive physical style.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets captain Adam Lowry will miss five to six months after undergoing hip surgery on Tuesday. The timeline suggests the earliest he’ll return is late-October, meaning he’ll miss training camp and the opening weeks of the 2025-26 regular season.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning assistant general manager Stacy Roest has parted ways with the club. He was the head of player development and general manager of their AHL affiliate in Syracuse since 2013.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second significant front-office departure for the Lightning. Earlier this week, former assistant general manager Mathieu Darche was named GM of the New York Islanders.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken signed forward John Hayden to a two-year, one-way contract extension.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 28, 2025

by | May 28, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 28, 2025

Check out the latest on Jonathan Marchessault, Connor Murphy, Morgan Rielly, Thatcher Demko, Bo Horvat and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli updated his offseason 20-player NHL Trade Targets list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Many of the names are familiar ones (JJ Peterka, Bowen Byram, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Andersson, Chris Kreider, Marco Rossi) that have frequently appeared in the rumor mill since the end of the regular season. Seravalli provides a useful synopsis of the recent news and rumors for each of those players who have already been noted on this site.

Seravalli has added some new names to his list that are worth examining. Read on…

Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators sits fifth on this list. Seravalli believes the 34-year-old winger might welcome a trade after a disappointing season with the Predators. He has four years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun included Marchessault among his list of trade and free-agent targets for the Maple Leafs. Given the winger’s contract, he believes the Predators would have to retain some salary to facilitate a deal. They’d likely have to do the same to send him to other NHL clubs.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy checks in at No. 8. With promising young defensemen Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov patrolling the Chicago blueline, the 32-year-old could be on the move this summer. He has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4.4 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks could use Murphy as a trade chip to add depth up front. However, his experience and leadership would be of greater value to this youthful defense corps this season. If they attempt to move Murphy, it could be at next year’s trade deadline if he decides to become a UFA next summer.

Morgan Rielly holds the No. 15 spot. Seravalli believes the 31-year-old is no longer an effective puck-moving defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rielly has five years left on his contract with an AAV of $7.5 million. Seravalli wonders if they should try to move Rielly’s contract before it becomes oneous.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Rielly going anywhere this summer. He has a full no-movement clause until 2027-28. If he’s willing to waive it, the Leafs would probably have to retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit to make a deal happen.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie share the No. 16 spot. Seravalli noted that the Bruins are in transition and must decide which players they will keep. Geekie is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is a year away from UFA eligibility. Zacha has two years left on his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I concur with Seravalli that both would have value in the trade market. Geekie appears the most likely to move if his contract extension talks with the Bruins become difficult.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko sit at No 18. He’s a year away from UFA eligibility. Kevin Lankinen played well filling in for the sidelined Demko this season, earning a five-year extension. Seravalli wonders if the Canucks might consider moving Demko this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks may have tipped their hand by inking Lankinen to that long extension. They could keep the goalie tandem intact for this season to see how things shake out, and peddle Demko at the trade deadline if they can’t re-sign him or if they’re out of playoff contention by then.

DAILY FACEOFF: Seravalli was asked if the idea of New York Islanders center Bo Horvat being available is hot or cold. He considers it “lukewarm”, suggesting they’ll need his experience and skills if they hope to stage a quick turnaround under new GM Mathieu Darche. He also thinks they should be patient to see what he might fetch in a market thin on quality centers this year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what Darche has in store for the Islanders. A rebuild seems unlikely with core players like Horvat, Mathew Barzal and Ilya Sorokin under expensive long-term contracts, with RFA defenseman Noah Dobson likely to join them.

We can’t rule anything out, and Darche could be tempted if he receives a substantial offer for Horvat. Nevertheless, the betting here is he’ll consider other moves to shake up his roster before asking Horvat about waiving his full no-trade clause.

TVA SPORTS: Nicolas Cloutier observed that Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau has backstopped their AHL affiliate in Laval into the AHL Conference Finals. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent this summer who’s a year away from UFA eligibility.

Primeau struggled during his tenure with the Canadiens. Despite his strong performance with Laval this season, Cloutier expects he won’t receive a qualifying offer from the Habs, enabling him to become a UFA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens could also attempt to shop Primeau’s rights or include him in a package deal for a center before July 1.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2025

by | May 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2025

The Oilers take a commanding lead in the Western Conference Final, the latest coaching hires, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

OILERS DEFEAT STARS, TAKE 3-1 SERIES LEAD IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers took a stranglehold on the Western Conference Final with a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Tuesday, taking a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry each had a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid each collected two assists, and Stuart Skinner stopped 28 shots for the Oilers. Jason Robertson replied for the Stars.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

Edmonton winger Zach Hyman left the game in the first period, favoring his right shoulder and arm following a hit from Stars winger Mason Marchment. He will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup, replacing the sidelined Connor Brown. Backup goalie Calvin Pickard also returned after being sidelined since Game 2 of the Oilers’ second-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm remained out with an undisclosed injury suffered on Apr. 11, but is getting closer to returning.

Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after being sidelined with a lower-body injury in Game 2.

The Oilers can wrap things up on Thursday as the series returns to Dallas for Game 5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins became the seventh player in NHL playoff history to record multiple points in each of the first four games of the round before the Stanley Cup Final, and the first to do so in 37 years. Meanwhile, Perry tied four Hall-of-Famers (Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi, Ron Francis and Jean Beliveau) for the most goals in a single postseason (six) by a player aged 39 or older.

Two of Edmonton’s goals in this game came on the power play. They’ve netted at least one goal with the man advantage in every game in this series. The Oilers have also done a good job shutting down Dallas’ offense since Game 1. They continue to get solid goaltending from Stuart Skinner while their defense leads the Stars in blocked shots since the opening game.

LATEST ON THE HURRICANES AND PANTHERS

YAHOO! SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their first Eastern Conference Final win since 2006 with their 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4. They’ll try to stave off elimination again in Game 5 on home ice in Raleigh on Wednesday at 8 pm ET.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Panthers Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer took part in an informal skate on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if any of them suit up for Game 5.

LATEST COACHING HIRES AND RUMORS

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports a league source claims that Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love and Ontario Reign head coach Marco Sturm are among the finalists for the Boston Bostons’ head-coaching position.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Ian Laperriere will no longer be the head coach of the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He’ll now serve as an advisor to the Flyers’ hockey operations department.

TSN: Former New York Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca has joined the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen will return as an assistant coach.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils hired Brad Shaw as an assistant coach. He served last season with the Flyers as an assistant coach and interim bench boss.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at this summer’s notable potential offer sheet candidates, and which ones might be targeted by the Canucks and Mammoth.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary looked at this year’s top offer-sheet candidates.

O’Leary starts by reminding us that teams can only surrender their own draft picks as compensation, that any restricted free agent who files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline is ineligible to sign an offer sheet, and that teams have seven days to match an offer signed by their player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We must also remember that an RFA player must be willing to sign an offer from a rival club. Just because a player may be considered an offer-sheet candidate by fans and pundits doesn’t mean he’s interested in signing one.

Arbitration-eligible players sometimes file simply to avoid getting offers from rival clubs, preferring to focus on re-signing with their current team before their arbitration hearing dates.

O’Leary also put up the compensation tiers for the offseason (which you can see by following the link above).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

In the “Pipe Dream” category are winger Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. O’Leary noted that Knies last week scoffed at the notion of signing an offer sheet. Meanwhile, Bouchard is likely reluctant to leave a contender while less than half the league has adequate draft picks to offer the Oilers the second-highest compensation level (two first-rounders, a second and a third).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team would have to offer up a salary between $9.36 million and $11.7 million to Bouchard to tempt him, which is the second-highest salary tier. I’ve speculated that it’ll cost the Oilers around $10 million annually to sign him. It’s worth noting that Bouchard is eligible for arbitration.

O’Leary has Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka among his “Long shots who might be worth a try”. Others include Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal or center Mason McTavish, and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming those players aren’t re-signed before July 1. Vilardi, Dostal and Dobson are arbitraiton-eligible.

One significant factor is that all those teams have plenty of salary-cap space to match an offer sheet. Unless the goal is forcing a team to spend more than they intended to re-sign the player, it’s a waste of time going that route.

As one NHL general manager pointed out (see below), it can backfire on the team making the offer, putting them in a vulnerable position for a future retaliatory offer sheet to one of their RFAs when they have limited cap space.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild and Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers fall under O’Leary’s “Cheap-value targets”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re the most likely on O’Leary’s list to receive offer sheets this summer. Both are coming off entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They would also be more affordable, falling within the third-tier compensation level (a first and a second-round pick) if they receive offers between $4.68 million and $7.020 million.

The Wild have over $16 million in cap space. They can afford to match an offer for Rossi, but there have been questions about his role and his future in Minnesota. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap room beyond next season to re-sign superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. Rossi could be traded before July 1.

Cap space is a bigger issue for the Rangers, with $8.42 million available with 19 active roster players under contract. They could move a high-priced veteran this summer to free up room to re-sign Cuylle and perhaps add a player via trade or free agency.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal looked at possible offer-sheet targets for the Vancouver Canucks. Among the players on their list was Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram is also arbitration-eligible. The Sabres are reportedly gauging his value in the trade market, which suggests he could be under contract with a new club before July 1.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Belle Fraser wondered if the Utah Mammoth might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

General manager Bill Armstrong seemed a bit hesitant when questioned about it last month. “People have to realize that when you put an offer sheet in, it has to work, it has to make sense”, said Armstrong. “It just can’t aggravate the other team because they’re going to come after you at some point in time and run up your salaries.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If you’re going to sign a player to an offer sheet, you must be sure that you will be successful, as the St. Louis Blues were last summer by signing away Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers.

Otherwise, you get a situation as in 2019, when the Carolina Hurricanes matched an offer from the Montreal Canadiens for Sebastian Aho. Two years later, the Hurricanes successfully signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens.

I expect Armstrong will make a significant addition to his roster this summer, but it’ll be through a trade or by signing an unrestricted free agent.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2025

The Hurricanes avoid elimination in the Eastern Conference Final, updates on the Oilers and Stars ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HURRICANES STAVE OFF ELIMINATION FROM THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes avoided being swept from the Eastern Conference Final by blanking the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

Frederik Andersen returned in the net for the Hurricanes and turned in a 20-save shutout while Logan Stankoven, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov were the goal scorers. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots.

Panthers forwards Sam Reinhart and A.J. Greer and defenseman Niko Mikkola missed Game 4 with undisclosed injuries. They’re considered day-to-day.

The series returns to Carolina for Game 5 on Wednesday, May 28, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first win in a Conference Final game for the Hurricanes since 2006. Unlike the previous three games in this series, they played a better, disciplined defensive game and received solid goaltending from Andersen, who had been benched for Game 3 after two shaky outings earlier in this series.

The Hurricanes still face elimination heading into Game 5, but this win should boost their confidence and determination to atone for their two previous disappointing efforts on home ice.

LATEST ON THE OILERS AND STARS

TSN: Sidelined Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard and defenseman Mattias Ekholm could suit up for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday. Pickard’s been out with an undisclosed injury since May 10, while Ekholm’s been on the shelf since Apr. 11 with what’s believed to be a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pickard took over for starter Stuart Skinner in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and won six straight before he got hurt in the next round against the Vegas Golden Knights. He’ll be backing up Skinner, who has regained his form by winning four of his last five, including three shutouts.

Ekholm’s return will likely send Troy Stecher to the press box, but he understands the situation. Stecher’s played well, filling in for the sidelined Ekholm, but admits the latter is a better player than he is.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are hoping that Roope Hintz will return to action in Game 4. The first-line center suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2 that kept him out of the following game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also hope that leading scorer Mikko Rantanen snaps out of his slump. He has nine goals and 21 points but only two assists in three games against the Oilers, who lead the series 2-1.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh said there is a shared desire with the league to get things done right as negotiations on a new CBA continue between the two sides.

Walsh shared the view of league commissioner Gary Bettman that an agreement could be reached well before the September 2026 expiration of the current CBA. He indicated there is no timetable for negotiations to be completed.

Regarding possible changes to LTIR, Walsh said the two sides have been exchanging ideas, and the discussion remains open. He believes that topic “will find its way and progress in accordance with the whole conversation on a new CBA.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation suggests an agreement could be reached by the end of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, perhaps by the 2025 NHL Draft (June 27-28). It could take longer than that to hammer out a new CBA, with talks stretching throughout the offseason.

Considering the fractious labor relations history between the two sides, the fact that they believe a deal could be reached well before next September is good news. Nobody wants another work stoppage threatening to shorten or derail another season.

IIHF.COM: Former NHL players Henrik Lundqvist, Zdeno Chara, Frans Nielsen and David Vyborny were formally inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Class of 2025 was announced back in January. Congratulations once again to Lundqvist, Chara, Nielsen and Vyborny, and the other inductees.

EVZ.CH: New Jersey Devils winger Tomas Tatar will be playing overseas next season. The 34-year-old signed a two-year contract with EV Zug in Switzerland’s National League. He is expected to play center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stick tap to Alexander Wirdzek. Tatar spent 14 seasons in the NHL from 2010-11 to 2024-25 with the Detroit Red Wings, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Seattle Kraken and the Devils. He scored 227 goals and 269 assists for 496 points in 927 regular-season games, and had 13 points in 56 playoff contests.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Brannstrom is also heading to Switzerland, signing a three-year contract with Lausanne Hockey Club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brannstrom, 25, was a highly-touted defense prospect when the Vegas Golden Knights selected him 15th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Traded to Ottawa, he spent six of his seven NHL seasons with the Senators.

Brannstrom bounced around the league this season. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent last summer but was traded to the Canucks before the start of the regular season. He played 28 games with the Canucks before being shipped to the New York Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade in January, and to the Sabres at the trade deadline. Brannstrom had 77 points in 294 NHL games.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Frost are the PWHL champions for the second straight season. Liz Schepers scored in overtime to defeat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 in Game 4 of the Final to win the Walter Cup.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

by | May 26, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 26, 2025

Check out the latest on the Jets, Canucks, and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON THE JETS’ NOTABLE FREE AGENTS

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently looked at which Winnipeg Jets players could stay or go during the offseason.

He reported that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with Nikolaj Ehlers’ agent for two hours last Monday. The 29-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

Ates considered that meeting a positive sign, as Cheveldayoff said that Ehlers was the type of player who could be a Jet for life. However, he also believes the Jets are preparing for a future without the veteran winger.

The Jets have an internal budget for Ehlers, knowing they must also re-sign restricted free agents Dylan Samberg and Gabriel Vilardi. They must also ensure they have sufficient long-term cap space to sign winger Kyle Connor to an extension this summer.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted that Ehlers is coming off a solid performance this season, matching a career high for assists (39) and coming within a point of his career high of 64 points (2016-17) in 69 games. He’s completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.

Proteau doesn’t believe the Jets can afford to get into a bidding war to retain Ehlers, citing his injury history and sub-par postseason stats. He think they’d be better off pursuing Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, who is a six-time scorer of 23-plus goals and put up solid playoff numbers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers’ teammates sang his praises during the club’s end-of-season media availability last week. Cheveldayoff managed to keep Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele in the fold, but they were far more important to the Jets’ success than Ehlers. He also got those two under contract well before their UFA eligibility.

Ensuring sufficient cap room to re-sign Connor is the priority. Cheveldayoff will let Ehlers walk if the winger’s asking price threatens to exceed that internal budget.

UPDATE ON THE CANUCKS

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma recently observed that the Vancouver Canucks will find it tougher to lure UFA talent compared to last year, when they were coming off one of the best season’s in franchise history.

Kuzma noted the Canucks’ primary offseason needs are a second-line center and a top-six winger. However, their struggles this season, including the recent departure of head coach Rick Tocchet and internal drama between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller that led to the latter’s trade to New York, could make them a less-desirable free-agent destination.

It could also make it difficult for the Canucks to find help in the trade market in an era of no-trade lists and no-movement clauses.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ difficulties this season will affect management’s efforts to bolster their roster this summer. Nevertheless, they could have a better chance of doing so in the trade market, where there are players who lack no-trade protection. It depends on what they’re willing to offer up as trade bait.

WILL THE ISLANDERS RE-SIGN KYLE PALMIERI?

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Russ Macias believes a big decision facing new Islanders GM Mathieu Darche is whether to sign Kyle Palmieri to an extension.

The 34-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1. Former GM Lou Lamoriello had opened contract extension talks with Palmieri’s representatives, but those discussions were put on hold after Lamoriello was relieved of his duties last month.

Macias believes Darche should retain Palmieri unless his asking price is absurd. He thinks the veteran winger could take a pay cut to stay with the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what changes Darche has in store for the Islanders this offseason, and whether they involve Palmieri. If he keeps the winger, it’ll likely be on a two-year deal for between $3.5 million and $4 million annually.