NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

by | Aug 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

It’s a holiday Monday in Canada so there’s little hockey news to report. Here’s a brief look at the notable remaining unrestricted free agents plus a look at whether Patrik Laine would be a fit with the Bruins.

DAILY FACEOFF: recently listed the top remaining players in this summer’s unrestricted free agent market.

Right wing James van Riemsdyk tops the list, followed by defensemen Tyson Barrie and Tony DeAngelo.

Former Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie was in his hometown of Victoria, BC, on Saturday hosting a charity concert featuring Grammy Award winner Sarah McLaughlan. There’s no word if he’s in discussions with any NHL teams for next season.

As for DeAngelo, SI.com cited Hockey News Hub claiming the blueliner was reportedly signing with SKA St. Petersburg. No official word yet from him or the club.

Right wings Tyler Johnson, Kevin Labanc and Mike Hoffman, defenseman Oliver Kylington, left wings Max Pacioretty and Jakub Vrana, and blueliner Justin Schultz rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players have occasionally surfaced in free agent rumors over the past month as options for NHL clubs seeking affordable depth. However, no reports suggest any of them are close to signing.

Other notables include defenseman John Klingberg, goaltender Kevin Lankinen, left wing Nick Cousins, goalie Antti Raanta, and wingers Cal Clutterbuck and Filip Zadina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been no updates on Klingberg since he underwent season-ending hip surgery in December. The latest on Cousins is he’ll be having his day with the Stanley Cup on Aug. 20 but nothing on talks with NHL teams.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont pondered the possibility of the Bruins looking into acquiring Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine. With the offseason departure of Jake DeBrusk, he believes the 26-year-old Laine could be a good fit among the Bruins’ top-six forwards.

Laine’s contract, however, is a significant obstacle. He has two years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million. The Bruins currently have $8.6 million in cap space but most of that will be taken up signing goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

To bring Laine to Boston, the Blues Jackets would have to retain some of Laine’s cap hit. Doing so, however, means the Bruins would be forced to ship out equal bucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dupont believes Laine will most likely suit up with a club that has the cap room to acquire him. He suggested the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings as the best bet given their depth of exciting young prospects.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2024

by | Aug 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 4, 2024

Matthew Tkachuk talks about celebrating his Stanley Cup win with his father, former Sharks GM regrets letting Joe Pavelski depart from San Jose, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Matthew Tkachuk said he never saw his father, former NHL star Keith Tkachuk, cry before until the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

“He was bawling his eyes out like a big baby in the stands as those few minutes went by after we won,” Tkachuk said during a recent appearance on “The Jim Rome Show”. “The emotion from my family…it was something that I’ll never forget.”

Keith played 18 seasons as a power forward in the NHL but never got to win the Cup. Matthew said he was honored to celebrate the victory with his father.

“It was a dream,” he said. “Me handing the Cup to my dad when all the family came on the ice was one of the highlights of my entire life.”

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks general manager Doug Wilson recently paid tribute to Joe Pavelski and his long NHL career. The 40-year-old forward announced his retirement last month.

Wilson admitted he regrets letting Pavelski depart as a free agent in 2019. “We should have found a way to get it done,” he said. “It was a mistake.”

Chosen in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Draft by the Sharks, Pavelski leads his draft class with 476 goals and 1,068 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrice Bergeron and Marc-Andre Fleury are the top two players to emerge from the 2003 Draft but Pavelski will forever be its leading scorer. The only player who could’ve caught him was Eric Staal (455 goals, 1,063 points) and he announced his retirement last week.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Randy Gregg and Craig MacTavish are the 2024 inductees into the Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame. They will be honored at Rogers Place on Oct. 25 before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Gregg spent nine seasons as a defenseman with the Oilers from 1981-82 to 1989-90, winning five Stanley Cups. MacTavish spent nine of his 17 NHL seasons as a checking-line forward with the Oilers from 1985-86 to 1993-94, winning three Cups in Edmonton. He went on to coach the club from 2000 to 2009.

THE SCORE: James Hagens is setting his sights on becoming the top prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 17-year-old playmaking center netted 102 points in 58 games last season with the US National Team Development Program Under-18 team. He also made history at the 2024 U-18 Championship with a record-setting 22 points in seven games.

Hagens also hopes to make the cut for Team USA at the 2025 World Juniors after being one of the final cuts from the 2024 squad. “I want to be on that team really bad,” he said, admitting it hurt getting cut but is using it as motivation this year.

The 5’10”, 172-pound Hagens turns 18 in November and will play for Boston College this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hagens is the consensus early favorite to be chosen first in next year’s draft. It’ll be worthwhile to keep an eye on this kid throughout this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2024

by | Aug 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 3, 2024

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is hungry for another Stanley Cup championship, the notable remaining restricted free agents, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has his heart set on winning the Stanley Cup again.

“We won the Cup, the greatest prize, but you want to feel the same feelings again,” said Barkov. That leaves you hungry. Winning the Cup helps us this coming season, but winning two in a row will no way be easy. Everyone needs to give it their all, everyone has to play his best game and, of course, you need a little bit of luck.”

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winning consecutive Cups is not an easy feat. Only two teams (the 2016 and 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning) have accomplished the feat in the salary cap era. Still, it can be done. The Panthers have been to consecutive Cup Finals and return with most of their roster core (including Barkov) intact.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau provides brief profiles of five young restricted free agents still awaiting new contracts from their clubs. He also examines the risks and rewards of signing them to long-term deals.

They include Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis, Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, and winger Lucas Raymond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All but Harley are coming off their entry-level contracts, giving their clubs leverage in their current negotiations. Some could end up with short-term “bridge” deals depending on their team’s salary-cap space. Swayman, meanwhile, opted not to go through arbitration again and is still in negotiations with the Bruins.

These players remaining unsigned at this stage in the offseason suggests they’re not interested in signing offer sheets with other clubs or no rival general managers are willing to go that route.

YARDBARKER: No contract extension talks are planned between the Dallas Stars and forward Evgenii Dadonov. The 35-year-old winger wants to see how this season plays out.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Former Devils forward Michael McLeod signed a one-year contract with KHL club Barys Astana. McLeod is one of five players to be charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident in London, Ontario involving members of Canada’s World Junior team in 2018.

RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov has started training with SKA St. Petersburg for the upcoming KHL season with an eye on a possible departure to the NHL next year. He was chosen fifth overall by the Canadiens in the 2024 draft.

Demidov will spend this season in the KHL but will face competition from players such as recent addition Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Canadiens could negotiate a loan if he doesn’t secure a roster spot with SKA St. Petersburg.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2024

by | Aug 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2024

Jacob Trouba talks about the recent trade rumors swirling about him, the Devils make three notable front-office hires, the Kings re-sign Jordan Spence, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba downplayed the trade rumors that swirled about him a month ago. His no-movement clause became a 15-team no-trade clause on July 1. Rangers management asked for his list several days early but his camp didn’t submit it until July 1, which may have interfered with general manager Chris Drury’s free-agent plans.

New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (NHL Images).

“It was fine,” said Drury. “It’s part of the business. I knew that part of my contract turned this year (to a no-trade list), and I submitted a list. That’s what I did. All the other noise was pretty much noise.”

Trouba also said he was fine with how Rangers management communicated with him during that situation. He claimed they had a great relationship with Drury going back years, expressing gratitude for the trust Drury placed in him. Trouba said he’s happy to be with the Rangers and looks forward to the upcoming season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports out of New York last month claimed the Rangers were working on a trade to send Trouba to the Detroit Red Wings. Nothing came of it amid speculation he knew about the pending deal and put the Wings on his no-trade list. Family reasons came into play as his wife, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, has a year of residency remaining in New York.

It’ll be interesting to see how this season plays out for Trouba and the Rangers. His performance declined last season partly because of an injured foot that plagued him down the stretch and into the playoffs. There’s talk he’ll be permanently relegated to their third defense pairing, which will raise eyebrows because he carries an $8 million average annual value through 2025-26.

It’s expected the Rangers will make Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history by next summer. Meanwhile, Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller will be restricted free agents and due for significant raises.

The Rangers could have $33 million in cap space if the cap rises to $92 million for 2025-26. However, new contracts for those three will take a significant bite out of that cap room, which could resurrect the Trouba trade rumors by next June.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced three significant front-office hirings on Thursday.

Former Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher becomes a senior advisor to team president and GM Tom Fitzgerald. Former Devils captain Andy Greene was named a hockey operations advisor and former NHL goaltender Manny Legace is their new head amateur goaltending scout and development coach.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings re-signed defenseman Jordan Spence to a two-year contract. Spence, 23, will earn an average annual value of $1.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Spence played his first full NHL season in 2023-24, finishing with 24 points in 71 games. He’ll be battling promising youngster Brandt Clarke for the second-pairing role on the right side of the Kings’ blueline.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov signed a two-year contract with KHL club AK-Bars Kazan.

Barabonov, 30, enjoyed top-six minutes with the Sharks from 2021 to 2023, including a career-best 47-point performance in 2022-23. However, he was given a reduced role as the club prioritized younger forwards throughout last season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Winger Denis Gurianov signed a two-year deal with KHL club CSKA Moscow.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gurianov, 27, spent seven seasons with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers. His best season was with the Stars in 2019-20, scoring 20 goals in 64 regular-season games and nine goals and 17 points in 27 playoff games. However, he struggled to maintain that production and spent the past two seasons bouncing among those four clubs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 1, 2024

by | Aug 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 1, 2024

The reason behind Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet is revealed, an update on Leon Draisaitl’s contract talks, Evgeny Kuznetsov signs with a KHL team, the Canadiens re-sign Kaiden Guhle, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Katie Strang and Dan Robson report Jeff Marek’s departure from Sportsnet was because he came under scrutiny by the NHL for allegedly revealing to a friend which players were being selected in the first round of the 2024 Draft moments before the picks were announced.

Marek was privy to the first-round selections before they were announced. This is common practice for broadcast rights holders, enabling them to prepare graphics and video clips for the chosen players.

The friend was former NHL scout Mark Seidel, who works with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, runs a scouting service and occasionally provides content for ESPN. It’s believed Marek provided Seidel a heads-up on the picks so the latter could be better prepared to provide an analysis of the selections on social media.

The league shared its concerns with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which probed further.

Neither Marek, Sportsnet, the league, the Gaming Control Board nor Seidel commented.

A source claimed no gambling impropriety was discovered nor was there any intent by Marek to gain financially from what happened. However, sharing the information with someone outside the company put Sportsnet in a difficult situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ve summarized the story’s main point. Please read the report for the full details if you have a subscription to The Athletic.

The NHL’s affiliation with legalized gambling means its broadcast rights holders face scrutiny to ensure none of its personnel benefits from inside information. A hint of impropriety by an on-air personality will raise questions and prompt an investigation.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Based on this report, Marek simply made a poor decision by sharing info with a friend. He may not have profited by it but it still cost him his job, serving as a preventative warning to his peers.

TSN: Ryan Rishaug reports it sounds like Edmonton Oilers management and Leon Draisaitl’s representatives have been in touch regarding a contract extension. Actual negotiations haven’t started yet but are expected to begin soon. “So any notion that it’s close to done is premature as of today (July 31)”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl can become an unrestricted free agent next July. There’s plenty of time for the two sides to agree on an extension.

TSN: Evgeny Kuznetsov signed a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kuznetsov and the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terminate his contract last month, clearing the path to his new KHL deal. There was speculation suggesting some NHL clubs were interested in the 32-year-old center. However, it appears he wouldn’t get a deal comparable to what SKA St. Petersburg was offering.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension. Guhle, 22, will earn an average annual value of $5.55 million starting in 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle has quickly established himself as a top-four defenseman with the Canadiens over the past two seasons. His injury history is a concern but overall this signing has received positive marks from Montreal fans and pundits. This could turn into an affordable long-term deal for the Canadiens if Guhle develops as projected into a reliable top-pairing blueliner.

TSN: Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy, and Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer are part of Team Canada’s coaching staff for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. They will join Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who was named Team Canada’s head coach in June.

DAILY FACEOFF: Kyle Clifford signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. The 33-year-old forward spent last season with the Marlies while on a one-way NHL contract with the Maple Leafs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 31, 2024

Eric Staal retires as a Hurricane, the Rangers avoid arbitration with Ryan Lindgren, the Canadiens re-sign two defensemen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes announced Tuesday that Eric Staal signed a one-day contract to retire with the team that drafted him second overall in the 2003 NHL Draft. They will also retire his No. 12 later thishttps://www.tsn.ca/nhl/carolina-hurricanes-to-retire-eric-staal-s-no-12-1.2155886 season.

Former Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal (NHL.com).

Staal spent 12 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, sitting second among their franchise leaders with 332 goals and 453 assists for 775 points, and third in games played with 909. He led all playoff scorers in 2006 with 28 points in 25 games during the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run.

Traded to the New York Rangers in 2016, Staal also played for the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers. From 2003-04 to 2022-23, he scored 455 goals and 608 assists for 1,063 points in 1,365 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staal is the Hurricanes’ all-time leading scorer since the franchise relocated from Hartford. He appeared in six All-Star Games and was a Second Team All-Star in 2005-06. His most productive seasons were with the Hurricanes from 2005-06 to 2011-12 where he enjoyed seven straight 70-plus point seasons, including a career-high 100 points in ’05-’06. He also won a Gold Medal as a member of Canada’s 2010 Men’s Olympic hockey team.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers avoided salary arbitration with Ryan Lindgren, signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lindgren plays the shutdown role alongside Adam Fox on their top defense pairing. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He and the Rangers can begin contract extension talks in January but that could depend on his performance and the club’s by that point.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed restricted free-agent defensemen Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron to two-year contracts. Xhekaj’s is worth $2.6 million ($1.3 million average annual value) and Barron’s is $2.3 million ($1.15 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Xhekaj, 23, thrilled Canadiens fans with his physical style and offensive contributions from the blueline. However, he’s also undergone surgeries on both shoulders over the past two seasons. Xhekaj said he won’t change his style but intends to play smarter and take fewer penalties.

The 22-year-old Barron split the past two seasons between the Canadiens and their AHL affiliate in Laval. He’s a puck-moving blueliner who has struggled to find consistency at the NHL level but is still young enough to develop his game.

TSN: The New Jersey Devils signed goaltender Nico Daws to a two-year, $1.6 million contract with an AAV of $812,500 at the NHL level. The first season is a two-way deal and the second year is one-way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daws, 23, showed some promise as a call-up behind a porous Devils defense corps last season. He’ll be their third-string netminder behind Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen this season but could become Markstrom’s backup during the second year of his contract.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed goaltender Dustin Wolf to a two-year, $1.7 million contract with an AAV of $850K at the NHL level. It’s a two-way deal for 2024-25 and one-way for 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wolf is expected to challenge for the starter’s job with the rebuilding Flames this season.