NHL Offseason Lookahead: Calgary Flames
NHL Offseason Lookahead: Calgary Flames
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2020
The Islanders advance to the Eastern Conference Final, the NHL will begin announcing its award winners, and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: For the first time since 1993, the New York Islanders are going to the Conference Finals. They shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 in Game 7 of their second-round series and face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final in Edmonton.
Thomas Greiss made 16 saves for the shutout while Brock Nelson led the way offensively with a goal and two assists.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a complete team victory by the Islanders. They stifled the Flyers’ offense with their defensive play and aggressive forecheck. Head coach Barry Trotz’s decision to start Greiss over Semyon Varlamov also paid off.
The lack of consistent production by the Flyers’ top scorers was a problem throughout the playoffs. It came home to roost in Game 7 against the Isles defense.
The NHL will begin revealing some of the winners of its individual awards from Sept. 6 to Sept. 13. Those to be announced include the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Sept. 6), Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Sept. 7), Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award (Sept. 8), Jack Adams Award (Sept. 9), Frank J. Selke Trophy (Sept. 10), Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sept. 11), Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award (Sept. 12), and the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award (Sept. 13).
A 30-minute program during the Stanley Cup Final will announce the winners of the Calder Memorial Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy, James Norris Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Vezina Trophy.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I like this format and I hope the league sticks with it going forward. Their annual award show in Las Vegas has a cringe factor comparable to “The Dundies” episode of The Office.
NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON: The Capitals have reportedly interviewed Mike Babcock and Gerard Gallant for their vacant head-coaching position.
SPORTSNET: The Arizona Coyotes have interviewed NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire for their vacant general manager job.
LAS VEGAS SUN: Vegas Golden Knights winger Ryan Reaves received a one-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed defenseman Juuso Riikola to a two-year contract worth an annual average value of $1.15 million.
SPORTSNET: A resolution has yet to be reached allowing the families of the players on the remaining four NHL clubs to join them in the playoff bubble in Edmonton. Discussions are ongoing between the league, the NHL Players Association, and the Canadian federal government.
NHL Rumor Mill – September 6, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – September 6, 2020
The latest on Taylor Hall, Max Domi, Frederik Andersen, Marc-Andre Fleury, Anthony Cirelli and James van Riemsdyk in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
HALL AND DOMI
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan cites Darren Dreger telling Montreal’s TSN 690 that a case could be made for the Canadiens as a destination for Taylor Hall. He believes the 29-year-old left-winger would be interested in the Habs if he tests the unrestricted free agent market.
“He likes playing in that environment,” said Dreger. “He enjoyed his time in Edmonton. He’s not afraid of the media and all those things. Markets in Canada are fun when you know what you’re getting into.”
Hall could improve the Canadiens’ offense. However, Dreger also noted the Arizona Coyotes are interested in re-signing the former Hart Trophy winner. He feels if Hall is seeking the most money he can get, chances are he’ll get that with the Coyotes.
Cowan also wondered what the future holds for Max Domi. The 25-year-old Canadiens center is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a disappointing follow-up to last season’s 72-point performance.
The Buffalo Sabres could be a fit if the Habs put Domi on the trade block. Cowan cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman telling Buffalo’s WGR Sports Radio 550 he thinks Domi is available. He pointed out the center wasn’t happy with his role this season plus he changed agents last week.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall will garner lots of interest if he hits the open market. I don’t doubt the Coyotes’ sincerity toward re-signing him, but recent reports that they were late paying player bonuses plus their $80-million cap payroll could affect their efforts. I also believe Hall wants to play for a contender, which could see him move on from the Coyotes and pass over the Habs.
Friedman followed up on Domi during Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday, reporting he hasn’t requested a trade. The Canadiens could re-sign him but, as Friedman pointed out during his WGR interview last Thursday, they probably don’t see him as a $5 million per season player. The Habs could trade Domi if negotiations bog down and arbitration looms.
ANDERSEN
SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday he believes Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has spoken to Frederik Andersen. He apparently told the 30-year-old goalie the Leafs aren’t shopping him, but teams are asking about him.
Luke Fox suggests the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres “to name a few” could be potential trade partners. They’re in need of an upgrade between the pipes and have the blueline depth to tempts Dubas. However, Fox feels the Leafs shouldn’t move Andersen unless they can land a goalie carrying a similar cap hit ($5 million) who could be a better fit right away.
Fox also pointed out Arizona Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper’s new contract (two years, $4.5 million annual average value) kicks in next season. Given the Coyotes woes, teams seeking a goaltender would come calling. Trading him, however, would be a horrible way for the Coyotes to boost their dressing room or excite their fan base.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I mention Fox’s comments about Kuemper because his name recently surfaced in the rumor mill. It would be natural to tie the Leafs to Kuemper and suggest peddling Andersen elsewhere. Maybe that’s what Dubas has in mind. All the talk about trading Andersen was as a cost-cutting measure, but things can change rapidly if you’re considering several options.
Dubas won’t trade Andersen unless he’s getting a goalie of equal or greater value in return. Maybe it’s Kuemper, maybe it’s someone else. Maybe there’s no better option out there. Maybe the right deal just can’t be found. It’ll be interesting to see what unfolds in the coming weeks.
COULD FLEURY RETURN TO PITTSBURGH?
TRIBLIVE.COM: Mark Madden suggests the possibility of Marc-Andre Fleury returning to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s believed the Vegas Golden Knights would like to re-sign Robin Lehner, who’s taken over the starting goalie role from Fleury.
Doing so, however, would mean trading or buying out Fleury. Madden feels the latter is possible because the 35-year-old’s $7 million AAV for the next two seasons is difficult to trade. Fleury would then become an unrestricted free agent and sign a cap-friendly deal with the Penguins, who are expected to trade Matt Murray.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s an interesting premise, but I don’t see this unfolding. Sure, the Golden Knights could buy out Fleury, and he could be amenable to returning to the Penguins on perhaps a one-year, bonus-laden deal to share the crease with Tristan Jarry. However, I think Penguins GM Jim Rutherford will go with Jarry and Casey DeSmith as his tandem and see how things unfold next season.
SHOULD THE JETS OFFER-SHEET CIRELLI?
WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck suggests Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff should be a little ruthless in the offseason and sign Anthony Cirelli to an offer sheet. The 23-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning center is a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights. The Lightning have $76.1 million invested in next season’s payroll, lacking sufficient space to re-sign Cirelli and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cirelli is a tempting offer-sheet target, provided he’s willing to sign one. If he’s not, it’s a pointless exercise. And if he is willing to sign, there’s no certainty he’d do so with the Jets. If the Lightning want to match it, they are allowed to exceed the $81.5 million cap by 10 percent during the offseason. I don’t see the Bolts losing him to an offer sheet unless a club signs him for an AAV of $8.5 million or more.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE FLYERS?
ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan examined what the offseason could hold for the Philadelphia Flyers in the wake of their second-round elimination from the 2020 playoffs. Limited salary-cap space could make it difficult to re-sign some veteran players.
She suggested trading winger James van Riemsdyk as a cost-cutting measure. He carries a $7 million cap hit through 2022-23 and fell out of favor during the playoffs. However, Kaplan feels there’s probably not much of a market for him and it would be a sell-low move.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Frank Seravalli had JVR sitting second on his recently updated NHL trade-bait board. Kaplan offered a good explanation of why he shouldn’t be that high on the list. Unless the Flyers pick up part of that cap hit or package him with a sweetener, they could find it tough to attract suitors for van Riemsdyk.
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 2, 2021
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 2, 2021
Is an offseason shakeup in store for the Rangers? Is Alec Martinez any closer to re-signing with the Golden Knights? What’s the latest on Rod Brind’Amour’s contract talks with the Hurricanes? Find out in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks recently suggested the Rangers could face an offseason shakeup following Thursday’s season-crushing 4-0 loss to the New York Islanders. He singled out marquee players such as Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad for criticism as well as the leadership group and head coach David Quinn.
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (NHL Images).
Brooks pointed out the lack of production from the Rangers’ core players (Panarin, Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich, Chris Kreider and Ryan Strome) against the Isles throughout this season, combining for just one goal against their rival. He feels the Rangers lack the mentality and personnel to adjust against a tight-checking opponent.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks wasn’t as harsh in his assessment of the Rangers’ 3-0 loss to the Islanders on Saturday, perhaps because, as he pointed out, that loss felt inevitable. He did, however, suggest the Rangers lacked the physical presence to deal with rugged Islanders winger Matt Martin. He noted the Blueshirts attempted to sign Martin during the offseason before he returned to the Isles on a four-year deal.
The Rangers could make some offseason changes, perhaps behind the bench as well as in the lineup. There’s no shortage of former NHL coaches who’d relish the opportunity of coaching the promising Blueshirts. Gerard Gallant, Claude Julien and Bruce Boudreau could be among the potential candidates.
As for the roster, Cap Friendly shows the Rangers have $55.6 million invested in 17 players for 2021-22. Buchnevich and goaltender Igor Shesterkin are their notable free agents, with both being RFAs holding arbitration rights. Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Ryan Lindgren and Libor Hajek are coming off their entry-level contracts.
The Blueshirts have sufficient cap space to re-sign their key free agents and perhaps have some space to tap into the UFA market to add some toughness to their lineup. They could, however, forego an expensive signing by going the trade route.
Zibanejad and Strome are one year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility. Their names popped up in trade speculation in the recent past and could surface in the offseason if management decides core changes are needed.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: David Schoen recently reported there haven’t been any contract talks between the Vegas Golden Knights and Alec Martinez. The 33-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Martinez is hopeful this season won’t be his last with the Golden Knights. He has 27 points on the season and averages over 22 minutes per game. General manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged the blueliner’s value to the lineup, adding talks will happen when appropriate and declined to comment further.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martinez is completing a six-year, $24 million contract and turns 34 in July. His age will work against him getting a significant raise. So will the Golden Knights’ limited cap space. They have $75.4 million invested in 17 players next season. He’ll have to accept at least the same annual cap hit on a short-term deal to stay in Vegas, and only if they can free up some cap room.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports one of the biggest issues in the Carolina Hurricanes contract negotiations with head coach Rod Brind’Amour is he wants contract extensions for his coaching, training and equipment staffs. Like Brind’Amour, their respective contracts expire at the end of this season.
Friedman believed Brind’Amour will re-sign with the Hurricanes. However, he’s made it clear the future of his staff is as important as his own.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour was a team guy during his playing days. That attitude has carried over into his coaching career. Given the success he’s had turning the Hurricanes within three years from an also-ran to a Stanley Cup contender, he’s justified in wanting to keep his staff intact.
NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – September 5, 2020
Looking ahead at the offseason for the Avalanche and Canucks plus updates on the Bruins, Blues and Leafs and more in today’s NHL rumor mill.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE AVALANCHE AND CANUCKS?
ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan noted the Colorado Avalanche are in a good position where they’re ready to become a championship contender but also have a decent amount of salary-cap space. She wondered if Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic will revisit his interest in Arizona Coyotes left wing Taylor Hall or make a pitch for St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo via free agency. Sakic must ensure he maintains sufficient long-term cap room to re-sign Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog to new contracts next summer.
THE DENVER POST: Mark Kiszla disagrees with Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon’s belief his club doesn’t need to make changes. Kiszla feels they need a goaltending upgrade over Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz. He suggests Vegas’ Robin Lehner or Chicago’s Corey Crawford could be available via free agency.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now recently reported hearing the Avs linked to Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray. Goaltending is considered the Avs’ Achilles heel. That’s likely the issue Sakic addresses if he takes the plunge into the offseason free-agent or trade markets.
ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski wonders what the Vancouver Canucks will do with starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom. He’s an unrestricted free agent coming off the best season of his career. However, Wyshynski asks if it’s worthwhile keeping him when his best work came in a contract year and points to promising Thatcher Demko’s strong performance in the playoffs.
Management must also bear in mind young stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will be due for new contracts after next season. Wyshynski advocates augmenting the young core by getting players with championship experience, but doing so within their salary-cap constraints won’t be easy.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demko’s performance against the Golden Knights could give GM Jim Benning something to think about in his negotiations with Markstrom’s representatives. Does he invest in a lucrative long-term deal for Markstrom or bet the future on Demko? Once that’s sorted out, Benning will have to find sufficient cap space to re-sign or replace pending UFAs Tyler Toffoli and Chris Tanev.
WILL KRUG AND THE BRUINS PART WAYS?
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Joe Haggerty reports it sounds like Torey Krug won’t be re-signing with the Boston Bruins. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, Krug said contract talks with the Bruins have been few and far between. He also rejected the notion of signing a one-year contract, seeking instead to maximize his value with a big-money, long-term deal.
Krug didn’t rule out re-signing with the Bruins, but Haggerty observes they have limited cap space with $15 million and several other players (including Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk) to re-sign. He feels Krug will find his lucrative new deal with a club seeking an elite offensive blueliner to quarterback their power play.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can’t blame Krug for wanting to take advantage of his best shot at a big, long-term deal. He might not get as many offers as he would’ve in a normal year, but he should find some worthwhile options. The Bruins must decide if he’s worth keeping or consider cheaper alternatives.
LATEST BLUES SPECULATION
STLTODAY.COM: In a recent mailbag segment, Tom Timmermann was asked about recent rumors linking the Toronto Maple Leafs to St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. He feels the Blues intend to keep Parayko (even if they re-sign Alex Pietrangelo), considering him one of the NHL’s best young defensemen.
Timmermann also feels the Blues will do all they can to re-sign Vince Dunn, a restricted free agent who recently appeared on TSN’s trade-bait list. Moving him and not re-signing Pietrangelo would mean an almost total overhaul of the Blues’ defense corps.
Asked which member of the Blues becomes a cost-cutting trade candidate, Timmermann suggested winger Jaden Schwartz. He feels Alex Steen, Tyler Bozak, and Carl Gunnarsson would have limited value to other clubs. Schwartz is a year away from UFA eligibility.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Parayko is also signed through 2021-22, which is another good reason to hang onto him. We don’t know if the Blues would move Schwartz but if push comes to shove they might not have much choice in order to free up more cap space for Pietrangelo.
The Blues could still make one or two smaller cost-cutting moves like trading Gunnarson and buying out Steen. They could then re-sign Pietrangelo, sit at 10 percent over the cap and perhaps start the season with Vladimir Tarasenko on LTIR. They would have to be cap compliant when Tarasenko returned but it would buy them more time if necessary.
LEAFS UFA OPTIONS
SPORTSNET: Alex Pietrangelo, Vancouver’s Chris Tanev and Calgary’s T.J. Brodie are the top-three options on Luke Fox’s list of unrestricted free agent defense options for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Calgary’s Travis Hamonic, Philadelphia’s Radko Gudas, Tampa Bay’s Zach Bogosian, Carolina’s Joel Edmundson, Winnipeg’s Dylan DeMelo, the New York Islanders’ Andy Greene, and Carolina’s Sami Vatanen round out his list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo is the best of this bunch but the Leafs would have to clear considerable cap space to sign him. The rest would be much more affordable but won’t have the same impact.
Brodie and Vatanen might be the best of the bunch. Bogosian has been terrific in the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he’s got a long history of injuries and could struggle on another club to replicate his success with the Bolts.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 5, 2020
The Stars and Golden Knights will meet in the Western Conference Final. Check out the game recaps plus the recent notable news in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final by edging the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 in Game 7 of their second-round series. Stars winger Joel Kiviranta completed his first-ever NHL hat trick with the game-winner at 7:24 of overtime. Alexander Radulov scored twice for the Stars while defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Joel Klingberg each collected two assists and Anton Khudobin made 40 saves. Vladislav Namestnikov tallied twice for the Avalanche while Nathan MacKinnon was shut out for the first time in this series.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a very entertaining game that see-sawed back and forth between the two clubs. The story of the game, of course, was Kiviranta, a rookie with just one goal in 11 regular-season contests before his heroics as a replacement for the sidelined Andrew Cogliano in Game 7. Sometimes, the playoffs give us the unlikeliest of heroes.
The Stars will meet the Vegas Golden Knights in the Conference Final as the latter blanked the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 in Game 7 of their second-round series. The Golden Knights netted three unanswered third-period goals by Shea Theodore, Alex Tuch, and Paul Stastny, the latter two into an empty net as the Canucks went with an extra attacker in the dying minutes. Robin Lehner made 14 saves for the shutout while Vancouver netminder Thatcher Demko kicked out 33.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Through the first two periods it appeared Demko was going to steal this game as he did the previous two. Despite his best efforts, however, his teammates couldn’t muster any offense against a deep, talented Golden Knights club. Demko was dejected following the game but he had nothing to hang his head over. If not for his play, the Canucks wouldn’t have overcome a 3-1 series deficit.
The Golden Knights and Stars won’t have to wait long to face each other. Game 1 of the Western Conference Final begins at 8 pm ET on Sunday, Sept. 6.
NOTABLE HEADLINES
NOTE: We experienced some publishing problems from Wed, Sept. 2 to Fri, Sept. 4 that prevented us from publishing each day’s noteworthy headlines. Here’s a collection of the most interesting news during that period.
NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Bruins winger David Pastrnak was hampered by a lower-body injury. It seemed to be related to his conditioning level following a month-long quarantine odyssey that prevented him from participating in Phase 3 training with his teammates.
TSN: Bruins captain Zdeno Chara indicated he’s committed to returning to the club next season. It would be the 23rd campaign of the 43-year-old blueliner’s NHL career.
SUN-SENTINEL: The Florida Panthers formally introduced Bill Zito as their new general manager.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins name former Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden as a new assistant coach. It’s his second stint as a Pens assistant coach.
NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues assistant coach Marc Savard is stepping down and returning to Ontario to be with his family.
THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t be renewing the expired contract of assistant coach Paul MacLean.
THE SCORE: The NHL is launching a series of initiatives to combat racism and foster inclusion and diversity training within the league.