NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

by | May 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

The Stars beat the Golden Knights again to stay alive in the Western Conference Final plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, the Leafs GM search and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars avoided elimination again by doubling up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. Ty Dellandrea scored the game-winner and the insurance goal in just over a minute and a half midway through the third period while Jake Oettinger got the win with a 27-save performance.

Dallas Stars forward Ty Dellandrea (NHL Images)

The Stars had to overcome 1-0 and 2-1 deficits as the Golden Knights got goals from Ivan Barbashev and Chandler Stephenson. Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault extended his points streak to four games with two assists in this contest.

Game 6 is Monday night in Dallas with the Golden Knights holding a 3-2 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights still hold the advantage in this series but the momentum has shifted in the Stars’ favor. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy attempted to downplay the pressure now placed on his team after failing to eliminate the Stars in the last two games. Nevertheless, he has to ensure that doubts aren’t starting to creep in among his players after blowing two opportunities to end this series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Meanwhile, the Stars’ confidence has returned. They now believe they can win, which is a much better place to be mentally and emotionally after playing desperation hockey following their disastrous Game 3 performance.

The Stars will also benefit from team captain Jamie Benn returning to the lineup for Game 6 following his two-game suspension, provided he doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him again. They still face elimination but they have to like their chances now as they return to home ice.

With the Stars forcing Game 6 on Monday, the 2023 Stanley Cup Final will officially begin on Saturday, June 3 in either Dallas or Las Vegas.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk joined Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Anderson on the NBA on TNT pregame show on Saturday night ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final between the host Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk bantered for several minutes with the hosts over his performance in the Eastern Conference Final and the postseason thus far. He and his teammates are awaiting the winner of the Western Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have held preliminary discussions with Doug Wilson regarding their vacant general manager position.

Wilson was GM of the San Jose Sharks from 2003 until stepping down in 2022 for medical reasons. With his health improving, he is reportedly interested in returning to the NHL in some capacity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson is just one of several former NHL general managers being interviewed by the Maple Leafs. Others reportedly include Brad Treliving, Marc Bergevin, Peter Chiarelli and Jason Botterill.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs ongoing search for a new general manager has left their unrestricted free agents such as Luke Schenn in limbo. They’re forced to wait until the dust settles before they can find out if the Leafs intend to bring them back on new contracts.

OTTAWA SUN: The four potential buyers of the Senators met last week with Anna and Olivia Melnyk, daughters of the club’s late owner Eugene Melnyk. They’re among several groups that must sign off on the sale of the franchise. Anna and Olivia wish to maintain a 10 percent stake in the Senators.

A preferred bidder could be selected by the end of this week.

THE SCORE: Germany pulled off a major upset in the IIHF World Championship by defeating Team USA 4-3 in overtime of their semifinal game. They advance to face Canada in the gold-medal game on Sunday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2023

by | May 27, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Stars ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference Final plus updates on Jordan Staal, Frederik Andersen and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Vegas Golden Knights can advance to the Stanley Cup Final with a victory tonight over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. The Golden Knights hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights intend to heighten their focus on shutting down Jason Robertson. After scoring just twice through the first two rounders, the 23-year-old Stars winger has four goals in the Conference Final, including two in Game 4 as his club avoided being swept from the series.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was the Stars’ best players like Robertson rising to the occasion in Game 4 (other than Jamie Benn, who’s serving a two-game suspension) that sent this series back to Las Vegas for Game 5. They’ll need a similar or better effort to force a Game 6.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Evgenii Dadonov did not travel with his teammates to Las Vegas for Game 5. He suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 that sidelined him for Game 4. Stars coach Peter DeBoer no longer classified Dadonov as day-to-day but expects that he will return later in the postseason.

TSN: Jordan Staal said he has no plans to play for another NHL club and hopes to return next season with the Carolina Hurricanes. The long-time Hurricanes captain is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 coming off a 10-year, $60 million contract.

NHL.COM Hurricanes reporter Walt Ruff tweeted that Frederik Andersen is also keen to return to Carolina next season. Like Staal, the 33-year-old goaltender is a UFA on July 1. “My priority is to get back here,” said Andersen. “We believe in this group that we can do something special next year.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think the Hurricanes intend on bringing back Staal and Andersen provided they’re willing to accept pay cuts on short-term deals. We’ll see how things pan out for them in the coming weeks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the list of potential general manager candidates to be interviewed by the Toronto Maple Leafs is expected to include Jason Botterill, Marc Bergevin, Brad Treliving and Peter Chiarelli.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs president Brendan Shanahan recently indicated he’s seeking someone with experience for the job. Some pundits consider Treliving to be the front-runner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying that Fenway Sports Group (owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins) is giving former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas this weekend to mull over whether he wants the job of Penguins GM.

Meanwhile, THE HOCKEY NEWS’ Nick Horwat cited TSN’s Chris Johnston saying Dubas is “98 percent he’s going to be taking a job there”, meaning Pittsburgh.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the Memorial Day long weekend in the United States. That means Dubas’ answer could come on Tuesday at the earliest.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: A strong performance by Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault has carried Canada into the semi-final against Latvia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. He’s allowed just six goals on 118 shots in the five games he’s played thus far with a 1.19 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That performance could also help Montembeault’s case if he’s looking for a contract extension from the Habs. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2023-24.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2023

by | May 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 26, 2023

The Stars stave off elimination in the Western Conference Final, Stanley Cup Final schedule scenarios are revealed plus the latest on Kyle Dubas and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars avoided being swept from the Western Conference Final in a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 on an overtime power-play goal by Joe Pavelski.

Jason Robertson scored twice, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen each collected two assists while Jake Oettinger made 37 saves for the win. William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault scored for Vegas while Adin Hill stopped 39 shots.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

The series returns to Las Vegas for Game 5 on Saturday with the Golden Knights leading the series three games to one.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars’ best players rose to the occasion in this contest despite the absence of team captain Jamie Benn, who’ll also miss Game 5 as he serves his two-game suspension.

Pavelski tallied his 73rd career playoff goal making him the leader among active NHL players in that category. He also made NHL history by becoming the oldest player (38) to score a postseason overtime goal.

The league also released its Stanley Cup Final schedule scenarios. Depending on the outcome of the Western Conference Final, the best-of-seven series will begin on May 31 or June 3. The winner of this Golden Knights-Stars series will face off against the Florida Panthers for hockey’s holy grail.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas met with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby at the Penguins’ practice facility on Tuesday night. The Pens received permission from the Leafs to speak with Dubas regarding their vacant GM position.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of Dubas, the NHL Players’ Association is reviewing his relationship with his agent for “potential violation of the Certified Agent regulations that govern agent activity.”

Dubas was represented in his recent negotiations with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment by Chris Armstrong of Wasserman Sports, the same agency that also represents Leafs center Auston Matthews.

The PA’s certified agent regulations prohibit agents from representing any officer or employee of an NHL club. Wasserman, however, is currently not a certified NHL agent and is not subject to discipline by the NHLPA.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It has yet to be determined if Dubas and his agent violated those regulations. It’s uncertain how much of an effect this might have on the Penguins’ interest in hiring him as their new GM.

THE ATHLETIC: Hollywood producer Neko Sparks’ ownership group has been seeking additional investors in their bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators. They have reportedly secured international funds for their bid but are seeking additional Canadian investors.

The Sparks group is one of four finalists hoping to purchase the Senators alongside Toronto businessmen Michael Andlauder, Steve Apostolopoulos and the Kimel family.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sparks group’s scramble for additional investors at this late stage could adversely affect their efforts for a successful bid.

A judge recently ruled that Evander Kane could walk away from most of his outstanding debt in his Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. The judge ruled in Kane’s favor against Centennial Bank, which made an $8 million loan to the Edmonton Oilers winger, who has a self-described gambling addiction.

Kane’s former girlfriend Hope Parker also has an outstanding lawsuit within the bankruptcy process. She alleges Kane owes her $3 million for abortions she agreed to. He also has another lender with an active claim.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New Jersey Devils assistant coach Andrew Brunette was interviewed by the Columbus Blue Jackets for their vacant head-coaching job.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets are still talking with other prospective coaches. A decision could be reached after May 29 when general manager Jarmo Kekalainen returns from scouting the IIHF World Championship.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

by | May 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Stars captain Jamie Benn is suspended for two games, the finalists for general manager of the year are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, including the winning goal with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots as the Panthers win the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since 1996.

Florida Panthers pose with Prince of Wales Trophy (NHL.com).

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin left the game early in the first period with an apparent concussion after a hard hit by Panthers forward Sam Bennett behind the Hurricanes net. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game with a suspected concussion. Following the game, Slavin said the hit was clean.

Slavin’s teammate Stefan Noesen suffered an upper-body injury in the first period. He returned in the second period but was not on the bench for the third.

The Panthers await the winner of the Western Conference Final. The Vegas Golden Knights hold a 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Stars and can close out the series with a win tonight in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-earned win by the Panthers in both this game and in a series where each game was closely contested and decided by one goal. Bobrovsky and Tkachuk were their dominant players but this sweep of such a strong opponent was definitely a team effort. Captain Aleksander Barkov tied with Tkachuk for the club lead in points (five) in this series while forwards Anthony Duclair, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Bennett each had three points.

This was the third time dating back to 2009 that the Hurricanes were swept in the Conference Final. However, this one probably hurts the most. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour believes they deserved better and he has a point. The Hurricanes controlled the play but were stymied offensively by Bobrovsky’s goaltending. Losing Slavin in Game 4 was a big blow to their blueline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn received a two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in Game 3 of their Western Conference Final series.

Benn’s teammate Max Domi was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Stone in the third period of that game.

Evgeni Dadonov is doubtful for Game 4. The Stars winger suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 and didn’t return.

SPORTSNET: Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts issued an apology to the Golden Knights after fans littered the ice with debris late in the second period of Game 3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from the Stars’ horrible performance in Game 3 will have consequences for tonight’s game against the Golden Knights. They must now try to avoid elimination without their captain, whose undisciplined antics have taken him out of this series at a crucial time when they need his leadership and experience the most.

NHL.COM: Jim Nill of the Stars, Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are this season’s finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This award, like all NHL individual awards except for the Conn Smythe Trophy, is based on regular-season performance. Thus, I think Sweeney will win it because of his club’s record-setting performance with 65 wins and 135 points.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres announced that Kyle Okposo has agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Okposo, 34, served as the Sabres captain last season. In 75 games, he had 11 goals and 27 points.

Okposo also earned the Rick Martin Memorial Award, “presented to the player who fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Sabre through on-ice excellence, resilience, and dedication to the community.”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Playing for Sweden at the IIHF World Championship, Sandin was injured following a knee-on-knee hit by Team USA’s Michael Eyssimont, who was ejected from the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are probably breathing a sigh of relief that it was much worse. Sandin is expected to play a big role among their top-four defensemen next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2023

by | May 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2023

The Golden Knights are one game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final, the Flames officially introduce Craig Conroy as their new general manager, former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is moving on, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of reaching the Stanley Cup Final following a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, taking a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (NHL Images).

Vegas got three first-period goals by Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and William Carrier to take an early stranglehold on this game. Alex Pietrangelo made it 4-0 in the second period. Adin Hill stopped 34 shots for his first career NHL playoff shutout.

Stars captain Jamie Benn received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone at 1:53 of the first period shortly after Marchessault’s goal. Goaltender Jake Oettinger was pulled following Carrier’s goal. The Stars also lost winger Evgeni Dadonov to a lower-body injury following a collision with teammate Roope Hintz.

Stars forward Max Domi received a 10-minute misconduct for cross-checking Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague with 26 seconds remaining in the second period. Unhappy Dallas fans littered the ice with debris, forcing officials to send both teams to the dressing room until the ice was cleaned up. Golden Knights netminder Hill was showered with popcorn as the teams returned to finish the period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Star imploded early in this game and never recovered. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong as the Golden Knights swiftly took advantage to take what should be an insurmountable lead in this series. Their frustration from the previous two games boiled over in this contest, all but scuttling any hope they had of reaching the Stanley Cup Final

Benn’s undisciplined penalty and ejection following Marchessault’s game-opening goal seemed to rattle his teammates. Everything devolved after that with Domi’s stupid penalty and Dallas fans showing their displeasure by littering the ice marking an ugly climax to a crappy night for the Stars.

The Stars defended Benn’s action following the game by claiming he “made a mistake.” No, this wasn’t a mistake. He’s not some inexperienced youngster who let his emotions get away from him. It was a boneheaded move by a veteran player and team captain who’s supposed to know better. He hurt his team at a time when they needed his leadership. It’ll be interesting to see if Benn received supplemental discipline from the league.

Meanwhile, Stars coach Peter DeBoer must decide if he’ll go with Oettinger for Game 4 or with backup Scott Wedgewood. Pulled three times in this postseason, Oettinger’s best save percentage in this series was .892 in Game 1.

The Golden Knights, meanwhile, received solid goaltending from Hill, picked apart a Dallas defense in disarray and quickly capitalized on their opponent’s many mistakes. They can put this series away in Game 4 on Thursday in Dallas and return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2018.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: The Flames yesterday formally introduced Craig Conroy as their new general manager. They also introduced Dave Nonis as senior vice-president of hockey operations and assistant GM, promoted Brad Pascall to VP of hockey ops and assistant GM, and promoted Chris Snow to VP of data/analytics and assistant GM.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy offered up no timeline for when he’ll name the Flames new head coach but indicated it’s high on his priority list. There’s a report suggesting former New York Rangers bench boss Gerard Gallant could be a “prime candidate” for the job. For now, Conroy’s immediate focus is on amateur scouting meetings ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft Combine (June 4-10).

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas released a statement yesterday declining to get into the details of his recent firing. Instead, he thanked the organization for the opportunity to work with them over the past nine seasons. He offered up no information about his future plans, concluding his statement by saying he and his family “will roll from here.”

The Maple Leafs have given the Pittsburgh Penguins permission to speak with Dubas regarding their vacant general manager position.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of which, former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka has emerged as a “strong candidate” for the job. Dubas, however, is considered the front-runner. The Penguins have reportedly informed “multiple candidates” that they were no longer in the running.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas’ sudden availability had a significant effect on the Penguins’ search for a new general manager. It was rumored for weeks that he was their preferred choice if he and the Leafs failed to agree to a new contract. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s soon announced as their next GM.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports a source close to the St. Louis Blues is dismissing rumors of general manager Doug Armstrong becoming a candidate for the Leafs GM job. The “high-ranking source” said all of the talk “seems to be fabricated.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Armstrong has declined to comment on these rumors which have originated in the Toronto media. He would make a prime candidate for that job but this speculation seems to be based more on pundit musing than any hard fact.

Some Toronto talking heads think the Blues might let Armstrong interview for the job if the Leafs were to ask permission or if he told Blues owner Tom Stillman that he was interested in that role. So far, however, there’s no indication that either situation has unfolded.

It wouldn’t make sense for the Blues to let Armstrong go at this stage of the offseason with the draft and free agency a little over a month away. He’s also two years into a five-year contract which lacks an “out clause” allowing him to move on to other management jobs elsewhere.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said he’s optimistic that team captain Aleksander Barkov will be in the lineup for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Final with the Carolina Hurricanes. Barkov left Game 3 on Monday with a lower-body injury but Maurice indicate his absence was “as much precautionary as anything sinister.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New Jersey Devils will host the Philadelphia Flyers as part of the 2024 NHL Stadium Series at Metlife Stadium next February.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

by | May 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 23, 2023

The Panthers push the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination, the Penguins get permission to speak with former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, the latest Flames’ front-office hires and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final following a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout while Sam Reinhart tallied the only goal with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett picking up assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 16 shots for the Hurricanes.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left the game in the first period after injuring his right leg following a hit along the boards from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury. Head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on Barkov’s status following the game but didn’t appear to be too concerned, joking that he was at a neighbor’s Bar Mitzvah.

The Panthers can close out the series in Game 4 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was frustrated by the officiating in this game. He criticized what he considered “three knick-knack penalties on sticks to the hand” and was upset by Reinhart clipping defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the face with a high stick late in the game that went uncalled by the officials.

Brind’Amour’s frustration over the officiating was understandable but I think he and his Hurricanes are more exasperated by their struggles to score against Bobrovsky. They dominated the play for most of this contest but the Panthers netminder thwarted them at every turn. He’s held the Hurricanes to just three goals in this series and is the main reason his club is on the verge of reaching the Final for the first time since 1996.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins asked and received permission to speak with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. They’ve been searching for a new GM since firing Ron Hextall last month and had already interviewed several candidates before Dubas was relieved of his duties on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas said last Monday that he would step away from managing for a while if he didn’t return with the Leafs. It’ll be interesting to see what decision he’ll make. Nevertheless, this move by the Penguins validates weeks of speculation linking them to Dubas prior to the latter’s firing on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli broke the news that Dave Nonis will join Calgary Flames incoming general manager Craig Conroy in a senior management role. Nonis is a former GM of the Vancouver Canucks and Maple Leafs.

Seravalli also reports former Flames captain Jarome Iginla will be brought into the fold in an advisory or consultant role to start.

OTTAWA SUN: Ryan Reynolds has closed the door on owning the Senators. The Vancouver-born actor turned down offers to be part of other groups bidding for the franchise.

Reynolds was part of the Remington Group that opted not to make a binding $1 billion pitch after their attempt to get exclusive negotiating rights with the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa was turned down.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Mesa mayor John Giles said he encouraged the Coyotes to see what his city had to offer in terms of available private land to build a new arena. He sees avenues where the club could build on land that wouldn’t require a public vote for approval.

The Coyotes’ bid to construct an arena and entertainment complex in Tempe was rejected last week by a public referendum.

Speaking of the Coyotes, GOPHNX.COM’s Craig Morgan reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly denied a New York Post report claiming the club’s players had filed complaints with the NHL Players Association regarding sub-standard travel, lodging and logistical issues that were in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

Daly said the only concerns raised by Coyotes players were related to construction delays in connection with the completion of Mullett Arena. Morgan also reported he’d heard from most of the agents who represent Coyotes players and they claimed they weren’t aware of any infractions that rose to the level of CBA violation.

THE PROVINCE: A report out of Russia claims Vancouver Canucks winger Vitali Kravtsov has signed a two-year Kontinental Hockey League contract with Chelyabinsk Traktor. The 23-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Canucks can still qualify to retain his NHL rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A former first-round pick of the New York Rangers, Kravtsov struggled to establish himself as an NHL winger. He spent 2021-22 with Chelyabinsk before returning on a one-year contract with the Rangers, who traded him to the Canucks on Feb. 25.

SPORTSNET: On a lighter note, former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau gave a “pep talk” to WWE tag-team champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn following their match with Matt Riddle against Imperium on Monday Night Raw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The only thing missing was multiple F-Bombs from Boudreau.