NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2024

by | Jun 7, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 7, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers as the Stanley Cup Final approaches plus updates on Nikita Zadorov, Valeri Nichushkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

SPORTSNET: The Edmonton Oilers aren’t concerned about the Florida Panthers’ supposed physicality edge in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

“We can play any style and we can win any type of hockey game. We’ve shown that over the last numerous months,” said Oilers star Leon Draisaitl. “We’re very comfortable in any situation that’s thrown at us. Whether it’s high scoring, or low scoring, defending and grinding one out. We can win games in any form.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The piece also noted the Oilers overcame the Dallas Stars’ depth advantage in the Western Conference Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Alan Greenberg looked at the moves made by Panthers general manager Bill Zito since last summer that built his club into a powerhouse this season. They include the addition of backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov, and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zito’s done a tremendous job building up the Panthers into a Stanley Cup contender since taking over as general manager in 2020. He’s made bold moves like swapping Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar for Matthew Tkachuk and affordable ones like those noted above.

SPORTSNET: The WWE will make a commemorative Stanley Cup champion legacy belt available for purchase following the Final. NHL teams were previously given custom WWE championship belts for winning the Cup but this is the first officially licensed title belt.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PROVINCE: Player agent Dan Milstein shot down a report by Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre claiming contract negotiations between the Vancouver Canucks and his client, Nikita Zadorov, were making progress. “Fake news,” replied Milstein on social media. He also said that contract talks had not been happening with the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov is looking for a long-term deal after playing for four teams (the Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames and the Canucks) since 2019-20. The report speculated he could seek $5 million annually on a six-year deal.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Valeri Nichushkin is reportedly set to play in Russia’s Media Hockey League. The 29-year-old Avalanche winger is currently in the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program and is serving a six-month suspension from the NHL.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report suggests this Russian summer league is closer to a beer league or Minnesota’s “Da Beauty League”, which involves active and former NHL players during the summer. It doesn’t appear to violate the conditions of the assistance program.

THE SALT LAKE CITY TRIBUNE: The NHL’s Utah Franchise has narrowed down its potential team name to six possibilities following the first round of fan voting. They are the Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Club (HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti.

Round two of the selection process runs through June 20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m partial to Utah HC. It has a nice EPL (English Premier League) feel to it.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at their club’s rebuilding process this season. The eight-part docuseries “The Rebuild: Inside The Montreal Canadiens” will stream on Crave TV in English and French later this year.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2024

by | Jun 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 6, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers as they prepare for the Stanley Cup Final, plus updates on Jacob Trouba, Matt Duchene, Chris Tanev, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTEBOOK

THE ATHLETIC: The top-four picks in the 2014 NHL Draft are playing in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was the first-overall pick with teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett chosen second and fourth by other teams and later traded to the Panthers. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was chosen third overall.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports 75 percent of NHL analysts are predicting the Oilers will lose to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m among the 75 percent. My heart is with the Oilers because I want to see a Canadian team finally win the Cup after 31 years and for Connor McDavid to cement his legacy as his generation’s greatest player.

However, the Panthers have more experience at this stage of the postseason, they’re built for the long physical playoff grind, they’re healthier than they were in last year’s Cup Final, and possess more consistent goaltending. With 11 players eligible to become unrestricted free agents, this could also be the last opportunity for the current Panthers roster to win the Cup.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Panthers are ramping up the intensity of their practices as the Cup Final approaches with an emphasis on their special teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They face a big challenge in shutting down Edmonton’s lethal power play. At the same time, they must find a way to score against the Oilers’ playoff-leading penalty kill.

Meanwhile, a Miami Herald sportswriter is trying to stir the pot (and somewhat succeeding) with Oilers fans by calling Connor McDavid “overrated” for not leading his club to the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits could say the same thing about Florida Panthers captain (and two-time Selke Trophy winner) Aleksander Barkov. Sure, he led them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, but he hasn’t won anything so he’s overrated. See, it’s easy to make silly clickbait statements.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Jacob Trouba took exception to a “Spittin’ Chiclets” producer’s critique of the Rangers captain’s game by mentioning his wife, Kelly, a neuroscience major.

The producer noted that Trouba and his wife founded the Trouba Creative Expressions Arts Program which offers art services to adults with epilepsy and seizures. “Maybe Jacob should go home and get a lesson from his wife about the dangers of concussions that can lead to epilepsy and seizures before he goes around concussing guys on a daily basis,” he said.

Trouba announced that for the next 30 days, proceeds from his 24-inch print sales will go to the Athletes for Hope Foundation in response. “We must do better than this,” he replied on Twitter to the podcaster’s comments. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Criticizing Trouba’s on-ice performance and his history of undisciplined play is fair game. However, dragging his family into it was uncalled for and crossed the line.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Matt Duchene and defenseman Chris Tanev are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Both players indicated they’d love to re-sign with the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on how much they’re seeking and whether the Stars have the cap space to retain them.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving he remains interested in signing pending UFA forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs also hired former New York Islanders bench boss Lane Lambert as an associate coach and parted ways with Dean Chynoweth, who was an assistant coach for the past three seasons.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks promoted skills guru Yogi Svejkovsky was promoted to assistant coach. Meanwhile, Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin will take on larger roles in day-to-day coaching with the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche have opened contract talks with winger Jonathan Drouin and defenseman Jack Jackson. Both are slated to become UFAs on July 1.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones has heard the rumors suggesting highly-touted prospect Matvei Michkov could join the club this summer. However, he couldn’t provide any further details.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has three seasons remaining on his contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg. A recent report out of Russia claimed his deal was being terminated but it has yet to be corroborated by a North American media source.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky is considered the front-runner to become the club’s head coach.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2024

by | Jun 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 5, 2024

Stars forward Joe Pavelski intends to retire, several Rangers played with injuries during the postseason, the latest on the Stanley Cup Finalists, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars forward Joe Pavelski hasn’t officially announced his retirement, but he told reporters he doesn’t intend to return next season.

“This was it for me. It was known for a while, probably. The plan is not to play next year,” said Pavelski on Tuesday during his club’s end-of-season media interviews. “I don’t want to say this is official, but the plan is not to be coming back.”

Dallas Stars winger Joe Pavelski (NHL Images).

Pavelski signed a one-year contract extension last summer with the Stars. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A seventh-round pick (205th overall) by the San Jose Sharks in 2003, Pavelski is one of the greatest American-born players in NHL history. He’s played 1,332 regular-season games with 475 goals and 1,068 points. He’s a four-time NHL All-Star, sits sixth among American-born players in total points, and is their leader with 74 playoff goals.

Pavelski spent 13 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Sharks. He’s fourth among their franchise leaders in games played (963), second in goals with 355, fourth with 406 assists, and third in points with 761. He spent the past five seasons with the Stars, totaling 121 goals and 186 assists for 307 points in 369 regular-season games in Dallas, including 27 goals and 67 points in 82 games this season.

Pavelski’s teammate Chris Tanev revealed he dealt with multiple injuries from dental work to an ankle injury during the Stars’ postseason run. The latter injury occurred during Game 4 of the Western Conference Final when he blocked a shot by Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane. Tanev injured some tendons behind the ankle but indicated he won’t require surgery and should recover in two weeks.

SPORTSNET: New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba revealed he suffered an ankle injury that hobbled him during the playoffs. He told reporters on Tuesday that “a big chunk of his ankle came off” earlier in the season. It wasn’t a load-bearing bone so he could walk but skating was difficult.

The injury sidelined Trouba for the final 13 games of the regular season. He played in all 16 of the Rangers’ postseason games but managed only seven points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trouba’s subpar performance prompted some observers to suggest the Rangers consider trading him this summer when his no-movement clause becomes a modified no-trade on July 1. They might want to reconsider that hot take after learning about his injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers blueliner Adam Fox confirmed he was playing with a knee injury suffered during a collision with Washington Capitals rearguard Nick Jensen during their first-round series. He injured the same knee in November following a similar collision with Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho. Fox said he has to go through his exit physical to determine whether his knee will require further treatment during the offseason.

Ryan Lindgren, Fox’s defense partner, suffered a cracked rip in Game 6 of the Rangers’ second-round series against the Hurricanes. Winger Jimmy Vesey suffered a separated shoulder in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final but won’t require surgery.

Rangers winger Blake Wheeler is mulling retirement. The 37-year-old right wing signed a one-year contract last summer with the Blueshirts after the Winnipeg Jets bought out the final season of his contract. He spent the past three months rehabbing a right leg injury suffered on Feb. 15. Wheeler will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk doesn’t need memories of “The Battle of Alberta” during his years with the Calgary Flames for motivation when he faces the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. “Anytime you’re playing any opponent in the Stanley Cup Final, you do not need a team rivalry,” said Tkachuk. “Right when the puck drops, it will be very intense.”

TSN: Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch expects Evander Kane will be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday. Kane has been battling a sports hernia and played just over four minutes during Game 6 of the Western Conference Final.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators added Mike Yeo and Nolan Baumgartner to their coaching staff. Former Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson will also return as an assistant coach.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s Utah franchise reportedly had more than 34,000 people place deposits on season tickets for their inaugural campaign in 2024-25. Almost 92 percent of those deposits came from non-Utah Jazz season ticket holders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2024

by | Jun 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 4, 2024

The storylines to watch in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the potential contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: Shayna Goldman looked at the notable storylines to watch in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final beginning Saturday, June 8 at 8 pm EDT.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s appearance in his first Stanley Cup Final is one of those worth watching. He’s a generational talent entering this series in his playing prime, leading this postseason’s scorers with 31 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid can join Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players to score 40 points in a playoff year. He’ll face stiff competition from a solid Florida Panthers defense, but it would be a significant achievement on his part. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that winning the Stanley Cup is the only thing on McDavid’s mind right now.

The Panthers are a much healthier team compared to the bunch that reached the Stanley Cup Final last year. Matthew Tkachuk suffered a broken sternum. Aaron Ekblad played with a fractured foot, shoulder dislocations and a torn oblique, and Brandon Montour and Sam Bennett had shoulder injuries during that series with the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goldman believes the Panthers likely don’t have a clean bill of health but they’re not as banged up as last year. That could make the difference in this series against the Oilers.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked at several candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. McDavid, Evan Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl were among his choices for the Oilers while Aleksander Barkov, Sergei Bobrovsky and Tkachuk are part of his Panthers’ selections.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov could get the nod if he neutralizes McDavid in this series. The Panthers captain won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward for the second time since 2020-21. Easier said than done, of course, but not impossible.

MIAMI HERALD: The Panthers’ extended playoff runs benefited the club on and off the ice. Attendance and season-ticket sales are at an all-time high and there’s a buzz about the club outside the arena.

The Panthers averaged a single-season high of 18, 632 fans during the 2023-24 regular season and have sold out all their home playoff games thus far. Ticket revenue is up 20 percent over last season and 50 percent over 2021-22. Season ticket renewals for 2024-25 are at an all-time high.

Meanwhile, youth hockey participation is on the rise in the Miami area.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers reached the playoffs only three times between 1997-98 and 2018-19. They had four ownership changes, 11 general managers and 13 head coaches during that period. The on-ice product suffered as a result.

With ownership and management stability, they’ve built and maintained a contender. Unsurprisingly, their improved attendance coincides with the improvement of their on-ice product. The fans were there, they just needed something worth cheering for.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Utah NHL franchise has filed applications for eight workmark and logo trademarks. All eight have the name “Utah” in them, some with a color scheme of baby blue, black and white.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders recently hired Chris Terreri as their director of goaltending. He replaced Mitch Korn, who returned to the Nashville Predators last month. A former NHL goaltender, Terreri was the goalie coach of the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport since 2017-18.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2024

by | Jun 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2024

The Oilers eliminate the Stars and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Check out the recap and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers are going to the Stanley Cup Final after holding off the Dallas Stars 2-1 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, taking the series four games to two.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid opened the scoring on the power play in the first period with a brilliant display of stickhandling. Zach Hyman made it 2-0 for the Oilers on another power-play goal. Mason Marchment got Dallas on the board in the third period but the Oilers withstood a furious push by the Stars for the win. McDavid finished with two points and Evan Bouchard collected two assists. 

2023-24 Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers (NHL.com).

The Oilers will face the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, June 8 at 7:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars dominated the play in this game except on the score sheet. They outshot the Oilers 35-10, outhit them 31-18, and had three power-play opportunities to the Oilers’ two.

The difference was Edmonton cashed in on the man advantage and stymied the Stars at 5-on-5. Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner played his best game of the postseason, kicking out 34 shots. They got the win with winger Evander Kane sidelined for the third period after he was injured in the opening frame throwing a hit on Dallas’ Alex Petrovic. Head coach Kris Knoblauch is optimistic that the six-day break before the Cup Final will do Kane some good.

Oilers winger Corey Perry became the first player in NHL history to play for five teams in the Stanley Cup Final. He won the Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks and would play for the Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2022) before joining the Oilers as a free agent in January.

The Stars were understandably overcome with emotion following the loss, but the thought of teammate Joe Pavelski’s possible retirement had several of them on the verge of tears. He turns 40 next month and his contract expires on July 1. Pavelski had 27 goals and 67 points in the regular season but his performance noticeably declined during this postseason with four points in 19 games.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEW YORK POST: Rangers long-time goaltending guru, Benoit Allaire, will scale back his workload. He will continue serving as their director of goaltending but will no longer serve as their goalie coach on a day-to-day basis. Allaire completed his 20th season with the Rangers, playing a key role in the careers of netminders Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Saginaw Spirit got a late goal from Vancouver Canucks prospect Josh Bloom to defeat the London Knights 4-3, winning the Memorial Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP. He scored twice in the championship game and registered four goals and an assist in the tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Spirit on winning their first-ever Memorial Cup championship.

Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus won the David Branch Player of the Year as the top player in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The Moose Jaw Warriors winger is the first player in his club’s history to win this award, leading the CHL with 61 goals and 65 assists for 126 points in 63 regular-season games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Firkus was mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Kraken to add more immediate help to their roster. Given his performance this season, they might want to rethink that option.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2024

by | Jun 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 2, 2024

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the latest on the Stars and Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year, holding off the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final to win the series four games to two.

Sam Bennett opened the scoring in the first period, Vladimir Tarasenko added the insurance goal in the third period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for the win. Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers to make it interesting late in the third period while Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots.

The Florida Panthers are the 2024 Eastern Conference champions (NHL.com).

The Panthers posed with the Prince of Wales Trophy when awarded to them at the end of the game but didn’t touch it like they did last year. “We touched it last year and it didn’t work for us,” said Sam Bennett, referring to their five-game defeat at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. “So, we thought we’d try something different this year.”

Bennett and his teammates will get a six-day break as they await the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. The Oilers hold a 3-2 series lead and can wrap things up with a win on Sunday night in Edmonton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers might be hoping to change their luck in this year’s Stanley Cup Final but they didn’t need luck to defeat the Rangers. Their experience, disciplined defensive game, and physical style made the difference in Game 6 just as it had in each of their three previous victories in this series.

The Rangers played better in the last two games but couldn’t mount sustained offensive pressure against Florida. The Panthers snuffed out their power play and neutralized scoring forwards like Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad. They also prevented the Rangers from generating offense from the blueline, though the Blueshirts were hampered in that department with defenseman Adam Fox hobbled by a knee injury.

Shesterkin was outstanding for the Rangers, giving his teammates a chance to win throughout this series whenever they fell behind. However, his teammates couldn’t match the Panthers’ heavy game.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers are on the cusp of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.

Their offense has dominated this postseason. Connor McDavid (29 points), Leon Draisaitl (27), and Evan Bouchard (25) hold the top three positions among this year’s playoff points leaders, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied for fourth with New York’s Vincent Trocheck. Meanwhile, Zach Hyman leads all goal scorers with 13, followed by Draisaitl with 10 goals.

Their defense has a league-leading 46 points in this postseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers sit second in goals-per-game average (3.59) and power-play percentage (34.7) only because the Colorado Avalanche ran up big numbers during their five-game opening-round elimination of the Winnipeg Jets. It’s also worth noting that their penalty-killing percentage (93.5) is first overall.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars hope their strong road record will help them in Game 6 as they try to force a seventh and deciding game against the Oilers. They tied with Florida for the most road wins during the regular season (26) and have six road wins in this postseason. They also need scoring from a power play that has gone 0-for-11 in this series.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer said Chris Tanev was sore following Friday’s game against the Oilers but he’s confident the 34-year-old defenseman will be ready to go for Game 6. Meanwhile, Stars blueliner Jani Hakanpaa didn’t make the trip to Edmonton as he recovers from a lower-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Corey Masisak points out Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen is poised for a big pay raise. He’s eligible next July to become an unrestricted free agent but the Avs can sign him to an extension this July 1. He will enter the final season of his six-year, $55.5 million contract with an annual average value of $9.25 million.

A comparable is Boston Bruins’ right wing David Pastrnak, who’s in the second season of an eight-year deal with an AAV of $11.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Masisak noted that paying Rantanen $11.75 million on his next contract would be a raise of only $2.5 million annually from his current salary.

The Avs’ offer to Rantanen won’t exceed Nathan MacKinnon’s team-leading $12.6 million. As one of the NHL’s top right wings, he will likely get between $11.5 million and $12 million on his next contract.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Daniel Alfredsson is leaning toward returning to the Senators’ coaching staff next season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Steve Warne cited The Athletic’s Mike Russo reporting that the Senators didn’t renew assistant coach Jack Capuano’s contract, which expires on July 1. Russo indicated that Capuano could be a contender to join the Minnesota Wild’s coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps ensuring that Alfredsson will be back with the Senators next season.