Marc-Andre Fleury’s farewell to Penguins fans, Mason McTavish finally re-signs with the Ducks, the Blues ink Cam Fowler to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Marc-Andre Fleury made eight saves during his third-period appearance with the Penguins in a 4-1 preseason victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 40-year-old goaltender officially retired at the end of last season, but returned to the Penguins on a training camp tryout contract for a final farewell to the team with which he spent most of his NHL career. A soldout crowd of 18,333 fans gave him a standing ovation when he took to the ice, chanted his name on every save, and called for “One More Year!”.
Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).
“A little surreal, a little crazy, but still also comfortable, “ Fleury said of the experience. He explained that it always felt “a little bit weird” whenever he played at PPG Arena with other teams, but this time, “it felt normal.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury’s preseason farewell stint with the Penguins prompted TSN’s Pierre LeBrun to suggest that he might be coaxed back into action by some NHL clubs looking to bolster their goaltending depth.
However, it appears Fleury has hung up his pads for good. He was appreciative of the chants from Penguins fans for one more year, but explained he was tired and his hip was sore. While his competitive desire may not have diminished, Fleury knows that he cannot physically do it anymore.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The contract standoff between the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish ended Saturday with an agreement on a six-year, $42-million deal. The average annual value is $7 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates McTavish will have a 15-team no-trade list for the final two seasons of his new contract. It was rumored that the Ducks offered $5.5 million annually while the McTavish camp sought $7.5 million.
The Ducks hope to emerge from their long rebuilding phase into a playoff contender this season. They need McTavish in the fold to center their second line. And no, this isn’t a sign-and-trade situation. While some NHL teams expressed interest in McTavish, the Ducks need him more than they do.
McTavish will return to the Ducks for the remainder of training camp and perhaps get into one of their three remaining preseason games. It’s unlikely he’ll be in the lineup for Monday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, but he could return for Wednesday’s game against the Sharks or Saturday’s tilt against the Los Angeles Kings.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: The Blues signed defenseman Cam Fowler to a three-year contract extension. Fowler, 33, will earn an average annual value of $6.1 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Fowler will have a full no-trade clause for the first two years of the deal and a 15-team no-trade list starting on Jan. 1, 2029.
This is a slight pay cut from Fowler’s $6.5 million AAV on his current contract, but he was willing to accept it to remain with the Blues. Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last December, he quickly fit in well with his new club, tallying 36 points with the Blues as they exceeded expectations to clinch a playoff berth.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Changes to the NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement could prevent Alex Pietrangelo from returning to the Golden Knights’ lineup in time for the 2026 playoffs.
The 35-year-old defenseman is expected to miss the regular season as he rehabs a nagging hip injury and will be placed on long-term injury reserve when the season begins next month. However, he recently said that he hoped to return to the lineup later in the season.
However, teams must now be salary-cap compliant during the postseason. That means the Golden Knights would have to sit one or two players to free up sufficient cap space to enable Pietrangelo to return to the lineup.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights could do it by sitting an overpaid, unproductive player. Looking at their current roster, however, there doesn’t appear to be anyone who fits that profile. They could also do it if another player carrying a comparable or more expensive contract ends up on LTIR, but that would mean losing a key player like Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, or Mark Stone.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko suffered a broken hand and will be sidelined for roughly six weeks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kakko was rejuvenated after being acquired from the New York Rangers last December, tallying 30 points in 49 games with the Kraken. He is expected to play on their first line when he returns from injury in late October or early November.
CBS SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks center Jansen Harkins will miss the next eight weeks with an upper-body injury.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres are extending their lease at KeyBank Center for five more years. That will buy them time to negotiate a long-term deal that includes public funding for much-needed arena renovations.
DAILY FACEOFF: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that the Pennsylvania Usage Fee, also known as the Facility Tax, is unconstitutional.
The fee, also known as a jock tax, led to visiting athletes and entertainers performing at any of the city of Pittsburgh’s publicly funded sports stadiums being taxed at the rate of three percent of their income.
The NHLPA and New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri were among the appellees.
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION: Brett McKay reports financial audits reveal the Edmonton Oilers’ 50/50 raffle has been paying part of the charitable proceeds to a private company called “Win50”, which is owned by the Oilers ownership group.
The report claims “Win50” received $81 million in “licensing and rights fees” between 2021 and 2024, with less than 20 percent of the total fundraising actually going to charities.
McKay reports the Oilers Foundation replied that “Win50” pays all the expenses of running the raffle, explaining it was the cost of doing business.
