NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2026

by | Jul 18, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 18, 2026

The Flyers re-sign Jamie Drysdale, Wild coach thinks Quinn Hughes will stay in Minnesota, the top remaining UFAs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I will be taking time off on Sunday, July 19. The next update to this site will be Monday, July 20. And now, on to this morning’s notable NHL headlines.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with Jamie Drysdale, signing the 24-year-old defenseman to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Drysdale is coming off a three-year contract that he signed with the Anaheim Ducks worth an AAV of $2.3 million. AFP Analytics projected he’d receive a six-year contract with an AAV of $7.29 million.

Drysdale had a career-best performance last season, with eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points. He’s getting a substantial raise as a result of shaking off a period of uncertainty earlier in his career due to injuries that hampered his development.

THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE: Wild head coach John Hynes remains “very optimistic” that Quinn Hughes will sign a contract extension.

The Wild acquired the 26-year-old superstar defenseman in a blockbuster trade last December.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

“I think he really enjoys Minnesota,” Hynes said. “He enjoys the team. He’s got a good relationship with (general manager Bill Guerin), myself, the coaches, and I think he feels like he’s got good teammates. He had very good success. Obviously, he’s a very good player. But since he’s been with us, he’s been very successful from an individual standpoint, which has certainly helped our team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes helped the Wild have one of their best seasons in franchise history. They had their fourth-best regular-season performance with 104 points and won their first playoff series in 11 years.

Hughes has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.875 million. As a recent winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy and one of the league’s elite stars, he will pursue a significant raise.

With Leo Carlsson’s new contract setting the benchmark for the league’s highest-paid players in terms of AAV ($18 million), Hughes can justify seeking more than that.

Last month, Wild owner Craig Leipold publicly declared that his club will sign Hughes to a contract extension. That was before Carlsson’s contract blew up the market. With superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov earning $17 million annually on his new contract, the Wild are looking at investing heavily in two superstars.

Assuming Hughes agrees to $18 million annually to stay in Minnesota, they’re looking at $35 million invested in two players. Even with the salary cap rising considerably for the foreseeable future, Kaprizov and Hughes would still be eating up a big chunk of the Wild’s cap payroll.

DAILY FACEOFF: Forwards Patrick Kane, Patrik Laine, and defenseman Logan Stanley top the list of the best players still available in this summer’s UFA market.

Wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, and Eeli Tolvanen, goaltender Cam Talbot, defensemen John Klingberg and Nick Blankenburg, and winger James van Riemsdyk round out the top 10.

Others include goaltender Connor Ingram, wingers David Perron and Jonathan Drouin, center Adam Henrique, defenseman Carson Soucy, and goalie James Riemer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is reportedly set to choose between returning to the Chicago Blackhawks and joining his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres.

There’s been little news about possible destinations for the remaining players on that list. Some will likely end up with new NHL teams this season on cheap one-year contracts. Others will try to keep their NHL careers alive by signing professional tryout offers in September.

Feel free to make your best guesses as to where these players might end up in the comment section below.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers head equipment manager Teddy Richards has been suspended by the club after his arrest on Friday on one count of domestic violence and one count of unauthorized use of 911 services.

In a statement, the Panthers indicated that Richards is suspended from “all team activities and facilities pending investigation.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The NHL revealed its official logo for the 2027 All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena on Long Island. The New York Islanders will be hosting the event on Feb. 5 and 6.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks hired Ryan Papaioannou as head coach of the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. He replaces Manny Malhotra, who was promoted to Canucks head coach last month.

Papaioannou spent last season as head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, who were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He guided the Nailers to an ECHL Northern Division title and reached the Eastern Conference Final.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Nailers, they are no longer affiliated with the Penguins. Their new ownership has opted to be affiliated with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, ending a 29-year relationship with the Nailers and the city of Wheeling, WV.

SJ HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks hired Jeff Kealty as their new assistant general manager. Kealty spent over two decades with the Nashville Predators as a scout, assistant GM, and head of professional scouting.

COL HOCKEY NOW: The Colorado Avalanche named Jussi Ahokas as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.

Ahokas spent the last three seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. He was named OHL Coach of the Year in 2024-25. This season, he guided the club to the OHL and Memorial Cup Championships.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 17, 2026

by | Jul 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 17, 2026

The full 2026-27 schedule is released, forwards Connor McMichael and Kirby Dach avoid arbitration, the Canucks bring back Alexander Edler in a front-office role, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league released the full schedule for 2026-27. It begins on Sept 29 with five games, featuring the Carolina Hurricanes raising their 2025-26 Stanley Cup banner at home against the Florida Panthers.

Other notable games throughout the season include the Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken playing two games in Helsinki, Finland (Nov. 12 and 14), and the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators playing two games in Düsseldorf, Germany (Dec. 18 and 20), as part of the NHL’s Global Series.

The first outdoor game of the season features the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Oct. 25. The Utah Mammoth host the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in the Discover NHL Winter Classic on Dec. 31. The Dallas Stars will host the Vegas Golden Knights at AT&T Stadium in the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 20.

After a two-year hiatus, the NHL All-Star Game returns as the New York Islanders will host the 2027 All-Star Game at UBS Arena, with the skills competition on Feb. 5 and the game itself on Feb. 6.

The season concludes with all 32 teams in action on Saturday, Apr. 10.

St. Louis Blues forward Connor McMichael (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full schedule.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues avoided salary arbitration with Connor McMichael, signing the 25-year-old forward to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $6.75 million.

The Blues acquired McMichael last month from the Washington Capitals as part of the trade that sent winger Jordan Kyrou to Washington.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McMichael completed a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.10 million. He had a career-best 57-point performance in 2024-25, but his production slipped to 46 points last season.

The Blues are banking on the versatile, play-making McMichael to regain his form as a key part of their young core of forwards. His pay raise is in line with the $6.4 million that AFP Analytics projected he’d get.

MTL HOCKEY NOW: The Montreal Canadiens avoided arbitration with Kirby Dach, signing the 25-year-old forward to a one-year, $3.6 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a slight increase over the $3.36 million that Dach received as his AAV on his previous deal.

This is a “last chance” contract for Dach with the Canadiens. Acquired four years ago from the Chicago Blackhawks, he was expected to become their second-line center. However, he’s been plagued by injuries that have hampered his development, resulting in inconsistent performances.

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks have brought back Alexander Edler as part of their front-office staff.

Edler spent 15 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Canucks as a defenseman. He is joining their player development department and will be working with the club’s prospects.

NJ HOCKEY NOW: Earlier this week, the New Jersey Devils announced the new additions to their coaching staff.

Leo Luongo was named Director of Goaltending, while Ted Donato and AJ MacLean will be assistant coaches.

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning announced they’ve extended their affiliation with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch through 2029-30.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2026

by | Jul 16, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 16, 2026

The league announced the home openers for the 2026-27 regular season, the Flyers re-signed Trevor Zegras, the Devils landed Anthony Mantha, the Jets inked Cole Perfetti to a new deal, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The league announced the 2026-27 regular season, expanded to 84 games, will commence on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with a tripleheader broadcast on ESPN in the United States and a doubleheader on Sportsnet in Canada.

The schedule begins at 5 pm ET with the Florida Panthers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes, who will be raising their 2025-26 Stanley Cup championship banner.

At 7 pm ET, the Montreal Canadiens travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs.

The New York Rangers face off against the Boston Bruins at 8 pm ET; the Vancouver Canucks meet the Edmonton Oilers at 10 pm ET; and the Chicago Blackhawks will tangle with the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 pm ET.

The league also introduced the dates for all 32 home-opening games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above to find out when your favorite NHL team’s home opener will be.

The complete 2026-27 regular-season schedule will be released on Thursday, July 16, at 1 pm ET.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with Trevor Zegras, signing him to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $9.125 million.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Zegras, 25, enjoyed a career-best performance of 26 goals and 67 points last season, his first with the Flyers. He was coming off a three-year contract worth an AAV of $5.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a significant raise for Zegras, prompting some observers on social media to suggest the Flyers overpaid him.

That would’ve been the case had the Flyers not blown up the salary benchmark for talent by signing Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet with a record-breaking, league-leading AAV of $18 million. While the Ducks matched the offer, the impact of the Carlsson contract has significantly changed the market for talented young players around the league.

Another factor is the significant rise in the salary cap from $95.5 million last season to $104 million this season. Had the cap risen marginally as it did earlier in the decade, the Flyers probably wouldn’t have made such an expensive pitch for Carlsson.

With the cap set for $113.5 million in 2027-28 and projected to reach $123 million in 2028-29, we’re entering an era where substantial pay raises will become the norm. A player considered overpaid in 2026-27 will be regarded as a frugal signing by 2028-29.

NJ HOCKEY NOW: The New Jersey Devils signed winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75 million.

Mantha, 31, is a big winger who had a career-best 33-goal, 64-point performance last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a cost-effective move by the Devils that should provide a boost to their offense over the next two seasons.

It was believed Mantha sought a long-term contract entering the free-agent market, but it’s apparent things have changed over the past two weeks, forcing him to accept a short-term contract.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets avoided salary arbitration with Cole Perfetti, inking the 25-year-old winger to a five-year contract worth an AAV of $6 million.

Perfetti had an injury-shortened season in 2025-26, netting 32 points in 68 games. However, he enjoyed a career-best 50-point performance in 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perfetti completed a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.25 million. Like Zegras, he’s getting a big raise that probably wouldn’t have been possible before the Carlsson offer sheet happened.

The Jets are betting that a healthy Perfetti will regain his form this season and exceed his career-best performance. If he does, this could become a worthwhile contract that will look better as the salary cap rises in the coming years.

CHGO BLACKHAWKS: Chris Chelios said he has spoken with Patrick Kane, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer. According to Chelios, the 37-year-old winger is deciding between signing with the Buffalo Sabres and returning to the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks before joining the Detroit Red Wings for the past three years. It’ll be interesting to see if he opts to return to Chicago to finish his career or stay in his hometown and play for the Sabres.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed prospect defenseman Alberts Smits to a three-year, entry-level contract. Smits, 18, was chosen fifth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs named Jeremiah Crowe as their director of player personnel. Crowe is the former director of pro scouting for the Buffalo Sabres.










Steve Yzerman Out as Red Wings General Manger

by | Jul 15, 2026

Steve Yzerman Out as Red Wings General Manger

The Detroit Red Wings announced that Steve Yzerman is moving out of his role as general manager to become a senior advisor to team governor and CEO Chris Illich.

According to the press release, Illich is leading the search for a new general manager.

Yzerman had been the Red Wings’ GM since 2019. During that tenure, the club failed to make the playoffs, a drought that has now lasted a decade.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This might look like a promotion for Yzerman, but it isn’t. The only reason he’s staying with the organization is his legendary status as one of the greatest players in franchise history.

As a player, Yzerman became a Red Wings legend, the captain who led them to three Stanley Cup championships. However, he was unable to replicate that success as their general manager.

When Yzerman took over as the Wings’ GM, he was coming off a successful tenure building up the Tampa Bay Lightning into a Stanley Cup contender. He had drafted cornerstone players such as Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy, as well as centers Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, all of whom remain with the Lightning today. He was named General Manager of the Year in 2015.

It was expected that Yzerman would have the same front-office success when he returned to the Red Wings in 2019.

For a while, it appeared the Red Wings were heading in the right direction. He drafted defensemen Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson and winger Lucas Raymond, traded for Alex DeBrincat, and signed free agent Patrick Kane. In recent years, their prospect pipeline has been considered among the league’s best.

The Red Wings’ record gradually improved. In each of the last three seasons, they were holding playoff berths entering March, only to collapse down the stretch. A lack of reliable goaltending, blueline depth, and scoring punch remained issues that Yzerman struggled to address.

However, Wings fans were growing impatient over the club’s inability to get over the playoff hump. They booed the club off the ice during their final home game last season.

Team captain Dylan Larkin publicly criticized Yzerman’s inability to acquire help during the March 2025 trade deadline. Last month, it was reported that he requested a trade, which has been fodder for the rumor mill ever since.

The ongoing Larkin situation may have been the last straw for Illich. Whatever prompted this move, the fact remains that Yzerman’s tenure as general manager will be considered a failure.

He leaves the role with a team captain wanting a trade, a roster riddled with questions, and a fan base that has lost faith in the club’s direction.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2026

by | Jul 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 15, 2026

Check out the latest on Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Senators forward Claude Giroux, Flames defenseman Simon Nemec, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka reports San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini is the cover athlete for EA Sports’ NHL 27 video game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Notable stars who’ve graced the cover of previous EA Sports NHL games include Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers (NHL 18), Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL 20, NHL 22), Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (NHL 21), and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (NHL 24).

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images).

Celebrini is in the final season of his entry-level contract and is eligible to sign a contract extension. His next deal will most likely make him one of the NHL’s highest-paid players, but he told ESPN that he’s not necessarily going to seek every available dollar.

“Obviously, guys want to get paid – as they should, because you’ve got to make a living,” Celebrini said. “There are guys that deserve those numbers that are getting them, but of course, you want to put your team in the best possible spot, where you give a team the ability to make moves necessary to win. I think all that goes into the decision.”

Celebrini also said that there’s no rush to get a deal done because he has a year left on his contract. “I think it’s just whenever it makes sense for both sides.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The maximum average annual value for 2027-28 (the first season of Celebrini’s next contract) is $22.7 million. He could become the league’s first $20 million man after Leo Carlsson got $18 million on a five-year deal from the Anaheim Ducks after they matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet last week.

However, it sounds like Celebrini’s open to leaving a little money on the table to give the Sharks some salary-cap flexibility to bolster the club’s overall depth. He could seek an AAV between $18.5 million and $19.5 million on a four- or five-year contract, enabling him to sign a more lucrative deal when he enters the prime of his career.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell continued to downplay the trade rumors that swirled around superstar defenseman Zach Werenski last month.

Waddell claimed the media reports regarding his talks with the Werenski camp were different than what was actually discussed. He pointed out that the two sides cannot discuss a contract extension until next summer, but that was mistaken as the Blue Jackets wanting to trade him and him wanting to be traded.

“It was always discussed that, if there was something that made some sense, I would bring it to him,” Waddell said, referring to a trade offer.

Waddell said it was well known that the Blue Jackets were talking with the Dallas Stars about a trade when he called Werenski’s agent. “Within an hour, I got a call back saying that Zach doesn’t want to go anywhere and he wants to be a Blue Jacket.”

According to Waddell, he subsequently had “a great meeting” with Werenski, who said he’s been with the Blue Jackets for 10 years, wants to get the team back into the playoffs, and is fully committed to the team.

“What the future holds, we’ll figure that out when the time comes,” Waddell said. “But for now, he’s very excited about staying here and taking the team where we need to get back to: the playoffs.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The media wouldn’t have gotten involved if somebody from the Blue Jackets management or the Werenski side hadn’t spoken to them about the situation. The same goes for the trade talks with the Stars. These stories don’t get reported without a reliable source from one side or the other leaking it to a pundit.

Since those stories broke, Waddell and Werenski issued statements claiming the situation was blown out of proportion by the media, stressing the blueliner’s desire to stay in Columbus and help the Blue Jackets win.

I’m not questioning Waddell’s version of events or Werenski’s sincerity about staying in Columbus. However, questions about his future with the Blue Jackets will resurface next June, leading up to his eligibility to sign a contract extension starting on July 1, 2027.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux said his return to the Senators for another season was a family decision. The 38-year-old forward recently signed a one-year, $2 million contract.

“We just had to talk it over and make sure that we were doing the right thing here,” Giroux said. “When you’ve got three boys, it’s not just about me anymore.”

CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson believes Simon Nemec’s contract is one of the biggest gambles by Craig Conroy as the Flames’ general manager.

Conroy acquired the promising but inconsistent Nemec from the New Jersey Devils last month, giving up two conditional first-round picks as part of the deal. He subsequently signed the 22-year-old defenseman to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conroy is betting on Nemec blossoming into the top-pairing, puck-moving blueliner he was projected to become when the Devils chose him second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Nemec trade could become Conroy’s best move if the young rearguard develops as hoped. It could also cost him his job if Nemec fails to pan out.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins avoided salary arbitration with Nick Robertson, signing the 24-year-old winger to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.25 million.

The Penguins also hired Brandon Pridham as a hockey operations consultant. Pridham spent 12 seasons as an assistant general manager with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s reuniting with Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, who was GM of the Leafs for most of Pridham’s tenure in Toronto.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins hired former Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams as a Senior Advisor to Bruins GM Don Sweeney.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The New York Islanders’ third-jersey competition for 2027-28 surpassed 65,000 entries from creative fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2026

by | Jul 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 14, 2026

The latest notable contract signings, the Sabres hire John Davidson, an update on Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: The Sabres avoided salary arbitration with Peyton Krebs, signing the 25-year-old forward to a four-year, $18 million contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krebs had a career-best 39 points in 82 games last season. He was coming off a two-year contract with an AAV of $1.45 million, so he’s getting a substantial pay raise.

It’ll be interesting to see where Krebs plays this season. He spent time on the fourth line, but as the report noted, he spent the second half of last season on the first line alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, who was traded to the Washington Capitals last month.

Speaking of the Sabres, they hired John Davidson as a senior advisor.

Davidson, 73, previously worked with Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen during their tenures with the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not surprising that Kekalainen is reuniting with Davidson. In addition to their previous work experience together, Davidson has nearly 20 years of front-office experience with the Blues, Blue Jackets, and New York Rangers.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers avoided salary arbitration with Braden Schneider, signing the 24-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $5.5 million contract.

New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schneider completed a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.2 million. This new deal means he’ll be eligible for RFA status with arbitration rights again next July.

The report indicated this new contract doesn’t provide any clarity regarding Schneider’s long-term future with the Rangers. He’s been the frequent subject of trade speculation since last summer, but he’s also indicated that he’d love to remain with the Blueshirts.

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov is expected to return to Philadelphia in early August to continue his offseason training. Michkov, 21, is currently training in his home country of Russia.

The 2026-27 season will be a significant one for Michkov, who struggled through his sophomore season amid criticism of his training last summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov acknowledged that he wasn’t in proper shape for training camp last fall. Having undergone a full season under head coach Rich Tocchet in 2025-26, it’s expected the promising young winger will be better prepared for his third NHL campaign with the Flyers.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed prospect forward Viggo Bjorck to a three-year entry-level contract. Bjorck, 18, was chosen eighth overall by the Jets in this year’s NHL Draft.

THE DENVER POST: The Colorado Avalanche signed Fabian Lysell to a one-year, two-way contract worth an AAV of $850,000 at the NHL level.

Lysell, 23, was acquired from the Boston Bruins in exchange for winger Ivan Ivan during the NHL Draft last month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lysell was once considered to be one of the Bruins’ top prospects, but he struggled to crack their roster, playing 12 games last season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame.

Bailey spent his entire NHL career with the Islanders from 2008-09 to 2022-23, becoming the third player in franchise history to play 1,000 games (1,057).

DAILY FACEOFF: Defenseman Jordan Oesterle has announced his retirement after 12 NHL seasons. From 2014-15 to 2025-26, Oesterle played with the Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, and Calgary Flames. He finishes with 96 points in 409 regular-season games.

RDS: The NHL and NHLPA have invested $4 million to establish a support program for former NHL players and their families to receive care following their playing careers.

NHL alumni members Paul Coffey and Glenn Healy brought up the recent tragedy of former NHL star Claude Lemieux, who died by suicide on May 28 at age 60.

“People have problems. They need somewhere to go for help. Look at what happened to Claude Lemieux,” Coffey said. Healy claimed that Lemieux’s passing “shook us all tremendously,” adding that the Alumni will do everything it can to make a difference for former players who are struggling.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens promoted Daniel Jacob as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate in Laval. He spent the past two seasons as the club’s assistant coach in charge of defensemen and penalty-killing units.