NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2026

by | Jul 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 7, 2026

The Flames re-sign Simon Nemec, plus the latest on the Senators and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed Simon Nemec to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million. They acquired the 22-year-old defenseman from the New Jersey Devils on June 23.

Calgary Flames defenseman Simon Nemec (NHL Images).

Nemec had completed his entry-level contract and lacked arbitration rights. His deal is comparable to the five-year contract ($7.2 million AAV) signed by Anaheim Ducks blueliner Pavel Mintyukov and the five-year deal ($7.4 million AAV) inked by Brandt Clarke with the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nemec was the subject of frequent trade speculation last season because of his contract status amid rumors his camp would seek a deal similar to the seven-year deal ($9 million AAV) signed by Devils rearguard Luke Hughes last October.

Nemec’s new contract is less than Hughes’ deal, but he reportedly didn’t need much convincing to accept the Flames’ offer.

The Flames have over $14 million in cap space for this season. They have plenty of room to make more additions. However, Nemec will likely be this rebuilding club’s most significant addition this summer.

OTTAWA SUN: Claude Giroux is reportedly returning to the Senators for another season. Reports on Monday night indicated the 38-year-old forward was closing in on a one-year deal with the Senators.

On Friday, it was reported that Giroux was on the verge of returning to the Philadelphia Flyers. However, his representatives stomped the brakes on that news, saying their client hadn’t made a decision yet and a return to the Senators remained possible.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux may have been close to signing with the Flyers. However, their stunning signing of Ducks center Leo Carlsson on Friday may have put those plans on hold, forcing him to reconsider his options.

Having traded away Brady Tkachuk, Giroux’s return ensures that they will have some leadership continuity this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of Brady Tkachuk, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said his podcast with his brother (Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk) became a contentious issue in the Senators’ dressing room during Tkachuk’s final weeks in Ottawa.

“It was time to end the noise around the whole situation,” Friedman said. “Post-Olympics, it was time. A lot was going on, and the players were tired of it.” He said one of the Senators’ players reached out to him, saying the podcast (“Wingmen”) caused some problems.”

The main issue was when Keith Tkachuk joined his sons on their Apr. 1 episode. He made disparaging remarks about some of Brady’s teammates, particularly goaltender Linus Ullmark.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stories about Tkachuk’s relationship with his Senators’ teammates have spilled out following the trade, though none of those players have publicly criticized him since his departure.

Nevertheless, some observers noted that the Senators played better last season when Tkachuk was sidelined for 20 games with an injured thumb. That’s sparked some predictions that they’ll improve without him, though that will once again largely depend on their goaltending.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alexander Ovechkin is returning with the Washington Capitals for another season, but he’s not saying if it will be his final one.

Ovechkin acknowledged his age, pointing out that he’ll be 41 when the regular season begins in October. Ultimately, he said it will be up to his family if he plays beyond this season.

SPORTSNET: Frederik Andersen rejects the notion that his injury history will hamper his performance with the Edmonton Oilers this season. The former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender inked a one-year deal with the Oilers last week.

Andersen said he tweaked his knee during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. However, he said the injury is of little concern, and he’ll be ready when training camp begins in September.

SPORTSNET: Rogers Communications Inc. has signed a deal to purchase the remaining 25 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) from Kilmer Sports Inc. for $4.35 billion.

MLSE owns the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, MSL’s Toronto FC, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2026

by | Jul 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 6, 2026

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines: Stars winger Jason Robertson is among the 15 players who filed for salary arbitration, the Ducks re-sign defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, and the Penguins re-up four players.

NHLPA.COM: 15 players elected salary arbitration before Sunday’s 5 pm ET deadline.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson is the most notable player to do so. Others include Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale and winger Trevor Zegras, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti, and New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

The other nine players include Xavier Bourgault of the Ottawa Senators, Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens, Alex Jeffries of the New York Islanders, Peyton Krebs of the Buffalo Sabres, Connor McMichael of the St. Louis Blues, Nick Robertson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Akira Schmid of the Florida Panthers, Ronan Seeley of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Cole Sillinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration notification is July 6 at 5 pm ET. Arbitration hearings will be held from July 20 to August 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Filing for arbitration is usually done by the player or team to set a deadline to reach an agreement on a new contract, rather than having negotiations drag out throughout the summer or into training camp. It’s rare that they actually end up before an arbiter.

Robertson’s case will be closely watched. He’s the biggest name on his list, leading the Stars in scoring with 96 points last season.

It’s believed the two sides are $2 million apart, with the Stars proposing an average annual value of $12 million while the Robertson camp reportedly seeks $14 million. He’s also eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning an arbiter’s decision will be for one year, extending his UFA eligibility unless he and the Stars agree to an extension before then.

If Robertson is awarded a new contract through arbitration, he and the Stars can’t open contract extension talks until Jan. 1.

Because these players filed for arbitration, they are ineligible to receive an offer sheet. If a club files for arbitration today, that player is still eligible to sign an offer sheet.

Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News reports that Jeffries’ filing means a second contract buyout window opens for the Islanders exactly three days after Jeffries’ salary arbitration is settled or awarded, and that it applies to players carrying contracts with average annual values of $4 million or more. The same rule applied to the other teams on this list.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year contract with an AAV of $7.2 million.

Mintyukov, 22, was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and lacked arbitration rights. The signing averts the possibility of him receiving an expensive offer sheet from a rival club.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli claimed an incoming offer sheet for Mintyukov accelerated the negotiations between the Ducks and Mintyukov, who wanted to remain in Anaheim.

Meanwhile, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek must decide if he’ll match the five-year offer sheet signed by center Leo Carlsson with the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, or let him join the Flyers and receive four first-round draft picks as compensation. He has until this Friday to reach a decision.

Mintyukov’s new contract leaves the Ducks with $10 million in salary cap space, with RFA forward Cutter Gauthier to be signed. Gauthier is ineligible to receive an offer sheet, but the cost of re-signing him has risen due to the $18 million AAV Carlsson will receive on his new contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The threat of an offer sheet for Mintyukov left Verbeek little choice but to get the young defenseman under contract quickly and probably for more than anticipated. Blindsided by the Carlsson offer sheet, the Ducks GM couldn’t risk another one.

Gauthier’s ineligibility to sign an offer sheet still leaves him as an RFA lacking arbitration rights coming off his entry-level contract. That gives Verbeek the leverage in those negotiations, but it will be difficult to justify a low-ball bridge deal if he matches Carlsson’s offer sheet.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed winger Egor Chinahkov to a three-year contract with an AAV of $6.25 million. Goaltender Arturs Silovs inked a one-year, $2.8 million contract.

Goalie Joel Blomqvist got a two-year contract, with the first year being a two-way deal. It’s worth an AAV of $875,000 at the NHL level. Center David Gustafsson received a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 at the NHL level.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2026

by | Jul 5, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 5, 2026

Mason McTavish looks forward to a fresh start with the Blues; the Capitals are becoming a prime destination for notable talent; and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac reports Mason McTavish is looking forward to a fresh start with the St. Louis Blues.

After spending the first five seasons of his NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks, the 23-year-old center was traded to the Blues on June 26.

St. Louis Blues center Mason McTavish (NHL Images)

McTavish struggled last season after his contract negotiations kept him out of last fall’s training camp and the preseason. After signing a seven-year deal, his production dropped to 41 points in 75 games, and he was a healthy scratch in two regular-season games and two postseason contests.

Anxious to put that season behind him, McTavish said he’s motivated and excited about the coming season with his new team. He said he enjoyed his time with the Ducks, but believes this is the right time to move on and experience something different.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McTavish is part of the Blues’ retooling process that began last season under former general manager Doug Armstrong, who handed over the reins to Alexander Steen. He’ll slot in as their second-line center between wingers Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours.

A bounce-back performance by McTavish could help the Blues reach the playoffs next season. He could also provide a boost to Buchnevich’s sagging production.

McTavish joins winger Connor McMichael and defenseman Brandon Carlo as the Blues’ new additions for this season. McMichael was acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Jordan Kyrou deal, while Carlo was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports the Washington Capitals are becoming a desired destination for some of the league’s notable talent.

The Capitals have been busy bolstering their roster this summer. They acquired winger Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres and winger Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues, and signed free agent forward Boone Jenner and defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery is pleased that players want to come to Washington. Tuch said he wanted to play for a club that would be competitive for a long time while he’s in the prime of his career. Jenner is excited to join a team that wants to win at this stage in his career, while Desharnais said he heard good things about the organization and how they treat their players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For all the talk of players wanting to go to Sun Belt teams in no-tax states, the comments by Tuch, Jenner, and Desharnais about the Capitals indicate that playing for a competitive club with a strong team culture that treats its players well and wants to win remains the biggest motivating factor in where most of them want to go.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed forward Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

Bourque, 24, was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Predators acquired him and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Dallas Stars on July 1 in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque is getting a significant pay raise after earning $950,000 on a one-year contract last season. A versatile forward who can play center or right wing, he had a career-best performance in 2025-26, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 82 games. He’s expected to center the Predators’ second line.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed defenseman Emil Andrae to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1.55 million.

Andrae, 24, was a restricted free agent. He was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 16.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1.75 million.

Mukhamadullin, 24, was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Oilers acquired him from the San Jose Sharks as part of the Darnell Nurse trade.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Isac Lundestrom is expected to be sidelined until December with a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He suffered the injury during a training session.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2026

by | Jul 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 4, 2026

The Flyers sign Ducks center Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet. Check out the reaction and the possibility of more to come, along with the rest of the notable news of the past 24 hours in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE FLYERS SIGN LEO CARLSSON TO AN EXPENSIVE OFFER SHEET

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers signed Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet on Friday worth an average annual value of $18 million.

Carlsson, 21, is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He’s the Ducks’ first-line center, finishing second in scoring with a career-best 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points in 70 games. He also finished second among their postseason scorers with 11 points in 12 games.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

The $18 million AAV will make Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL for 2026-27, eclipsing Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million AAV.

It’s up to the Ducks to decide if they’ll match the offer. They have seven days from the date of Carlsson’s signing to do so. Otherwise, they’ll receive four first-round draft picks from the Flyers. Those picks will be those belonging to the Flyers in each of the next four seasons. They cannot send the Ducks any first-rounders that they acquire from another team.

The Ducks have the salary cap space ($35 million) to match the offer. Doing so will leave them with just over $17 million in cap space, with restricted agent winger Cutter Gauthier and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov still to be re-signed.

Gauthier is ineligible to receive an offer sheet, but Mintyukov can sign one. According to PuckPedia, several teams have approached the latter’s agent about an offer sheet. It appears one could be formally made, leaving Mintuykov to decide whether to accept it.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek tried to warn off his peers by claiming his club would match any offer for Carlsson. Flyers GM Daniel Briere called his bluff, giving Verbeek a week to decide if he will do so. The Flyers need a first-line center for their young roster and see Carlsson as a perfect fit.

The Ducks and Flyers have a recent trade history. Gauthier’s unwillingness to join the Flyers prompted the trade that sent him to the Ducks in January 2024 for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Last June, the Flyers acquired winger Trevor Zegras from the Ducks for a package that included center Ryan Poehling.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something tells me there won’t be any future trades between these two clubs for a while.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens believes the Ducks have no choice but to match the Flyers’ offer for Carlsson.

Doing so would be paying Carlsson much more than the Ducks had originally hoped to sign him for. TSN’s Chris Johnston indicated that the deal is front-loaded with signing bonuses paying Carlsson $19.95 million for 2026-27, $18.1 million in 2027-28, $17.05 million in 2028-29, $15.2 million in 2029-30, and $15 million in 2030-31.

It will also affect the Ducks’ efforts to re-sign Gauthier and Mintyukov, pushing the AAVs on their next contracts much higher than expected. That will use whatever remains of their cap space, leaving nothing to fill the remaining holes in their roster and in-season cap flexibility.

Nevertheless, Stephens argues that not matching would be much worse. The value of the draft picks they’ll receive as compensation will lessen if the Flyers continue to improve. The Ducks will be without a first-line center for the foreseeable future. Even if they use those first-round picks as trade bait to address that need, finding a suitable option could be difficult, especially if their potential targets have no-trade protection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last time any team signed a player to an expensive offer sheet was in the summer of 2012, when the Flyers (!) inked Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators to a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet, which the Predators matched. That contract finally expired at 11:59 PM on June 30.

It’s a bold move by Briere, one that could be costlier than the big bite it will take out of the Flyers’ salary-cap payroll if the Ducks decline to match the offer.

Carlsson has established himself as a first-line center with the potential to become a superstar. However, he hasn’t yet reached the level where he deserves to be the league’s highest-paid player in terms of AAV. That’s going to have a wide-ranging effect on the cost of signing every comparable young NHL player, including those of the Flyers going forward (hello there, Matvei Michkov, if he has a significant bounce-back performance this season).

Another factor is the possibility that Carlsson struggles to adjust to a new club in one of the NHL’s bigger markets under a much harsher spotlight than he’s faced in Anaheim. He’ll definitely feel the pressure to meet the expectations that come with that massive annual cap hit.

If Carlsson adjusts quickly and meets those expectations, this signing could be remembered as the moment when the Flyers became a powerhouse. If he falters, it will be seen as the beginning of the end of Briere’s tenure as general manager.

For the Ducks, some folks believe this is karma biting Verbeek for his years of playing hardball with restricted free agents such as Drysdale, Zegras, and Mason McTavish, all of whom no longer play for the Ducks. They feel Verbeek could’ve avoided this had he signed Carlsson to a lucrative new contract on July 1 instead of trying to play the waiting game.

The Ducks are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Most observers expect they’ll swallow hard and match the Flyers’ offer. Doing so will definitely screw up their salary cap for this season and complicate efforts to re-sign Gauthier and Mintyukov, especially if the latter signs an offer sheet. Letting Mintykov go will weaken their already thin blueline for this season.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope examined how the Carlsson offer sheet could affect the Blackhawks’ contract negotiations with center Connor Bedard. Like Carlsson, the 21-year-old Bedard is an RFA coming off his entry-level contract.

Pope doesn’t expect Bedard to sign an offer sheet. He pointed to several factors, including the latter’s desire to remain with the Blackhawks and his near-constant communication with GM Kyle Davidson. Nevertheless, even if Bedard doesn’t sign an offer sheet, Carlsson’s new contract will push up the price of re-signing the young Blackhawks star.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard’s next contract isn’t the only one that could be affected this summer by the Carlsson offer sheet.

Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars could be an offer sheet target, as he recently rejected an eight-year contract offer worth $15 million annually from the Seattle Kraken as part of an attempted sign-and-trade deal. Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets could be a tempting option for clubs looking for a young first-line center.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Deen speculated that Carlsson’s contract could have some effect on next summer’s crop of unrestricted free-agent superstars such as Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlsson’s $18 million AAV is now the benchmark for Makar and Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes. Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning is a little older than Makar and Hughes, but could definitely make the case to exceed $18 million annually after winning the Art Ross Trophy for the third time and the Hart Trophy for the second time.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Forward Jamie Benn, 36, will return for another NHL season. The long-time Stars captain signed a one-year contract with a base salary of $850,000, with an additional $1.15 million in performance bonuses.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed winger Gavin McKenna to a three-year entry-level contract. McKenna, 18, was the first-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft.

NEW YORK POST: Madison Square Garden executive chairman and CEO James Dolan is handing over the day-to-day ownership responsibilities of the Rangers to his son, Quentin.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed Hendrix Lapierre to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1.3 million. Lapierre, 24, was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The Penguins acquired him in a trade with the Washington Capitals on June 25.

TSN: The Utah Mammoth signed defenseman Andrew Peeke to a one-year, $1 million contract. Peeke, 27, was an unrestricted free agent coming off a three-year contract worth an AAV of $2.75 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2026

by | Jul 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 3, 2026

Alex Ovechkin returns for another season, Connor Bedard suffers a shoulder injury during training, the Flames trade Blake Coleman to the Wild, the Canadiens re-sign Jakub Dobes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alex Ovechkin is returning for a 22nd NHL season. The 40-year-old winger signed a one-year, bonus-laden contract with the Washington Capitals, with whom he’s spent his entire NHL career.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Ovechkin will receive a $1 million base salary, a $3.25 million signing bonus, and a $4.75 million performance bonus that could take him up to $9 million.

It seemed that the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s last, but the Capitals’ recent additions to their roster (such as wingers Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch) may have helped to encourage him to return for one more run at the Stanley Cup. He’ll remain their captain but will take on a modified role with reduced minutes.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury during on-ice training in his hometown of Vancouver on Thursday. He lost his balance, fell awkwardly into the boards, and quickly skated off the ice holding his left shoulder.

Bedard suffered a similar injury to his right shoulder last December. He missed four weeks, but it was another month after his return before he was 100 percent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An update on Bedard’s condition is expected within the next several days.

CALGARY SUN/TWINCITIES.COM: The Calgary Flames traded winger Blake Coleman and defenseman Olli Maatta to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Jake Middleton, a second-round pick in 2029, a third-round pick in 2027, and a fourth-round pick in 2028.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coleman, 34, had been the subject of frequent trade speculation for the past two seasons. He has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4.9 million, with the Flames retaining 50 percent. According to Flames general manager Craig Conroy, Coleman did not request a trade.

Coleman and Maatta will bring experienced depth to the Wild on the wing and their blueline. However, they don’t address the club’s ongoing need for a first-line center. They have just over $2.3 million in cap space and are reportedly the main suitor for Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.

The Flames wanted the 30-year-old Middleton for his experience, character, defensive play, and toughness. He’s happy to be going to Calgary, citing family considerations as well as the direction the Flames are taking with their rebuild and their new arena that opens in 2027.

TWINCITIES.COM: Speaking of the Wild, they signed forward Nick Foligno to a one-year, $900,000 contract.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens signed goaltender Jakub Dobes to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.375 million beginning in 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another sensible re-signing by the Canadiens, coming on the heels of their inking Ivan Demidov to an eight-year extension with an AAV of $9.15 million. The 25-year-old Dobes emerged as their starting goaltender midway through this season, backstopping them to the Eastern Conference Final.

If that strong performance is a sign of things to come, the Canadiens will be set with Dobes as their starter, and that contract will be a bargain compared to most starters around the league.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has shut down speculation suggesting Kirill Marchenkov will be traded this summer. He said they intend to keep their leading goal scorer for next season and possibly beyond.

Marchenko, 25, is a year away from becoming a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Rumors emerged during the draft claiming the winger didn’t intend to sign a contract extension this summer.

Waddell said he’s spoken with Marchenko’s agent. He didn’t get into the details of those discussions, but said that he told the agent that his client would be a Blue Jacket when the 2026-27 season opens in October.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell’s been busy doing damage control. This news comes a day after he and Zach Werenski issued statements claiming that Werenski was not going to be traded despite reports that he rejected a move to the Dallas Stars.

Waddell has put out those two fires for now, but they’re bound to flare up again if the Blue Jackets fail to qualify for the playoffs next spring. By that point, he could be willing to part with one or both players next summer, provided he’s still the Blue Jackets GM when the season ends.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators are offering a discount to their fans who want to exchange their Brady Tkachuk jerseys for new threads. Tkachuk was shipped to the Florida Panthers last month after months of claiming he wasn’t seeking a trade.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks signed top prospect Ivar Stenberg to a three-year entry-level contract. They chose the 18-year-old forward with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 2, 2026

by | Jul 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 2, 2026

Zach Werenski wants to stay in Columbus, the Lightning sign John Carlson, the Flyers re-sign Tyson Foerster, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and general manager Don Waddell released statements yesterday regarding the recent trade rumors swirling around the Norris Trophy-winning blueliner.

In their statements, both men claimed Werenski wants to remain in Columbus. Waddell indicated that he and the 28-year-old rearguard met this spring to discuss his uncertainty about his future and explore possible opportunities to move him. They agreed that if there were a deal to be made, Waddell would bring it to Werenski.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images)

Waddell stated that they found a deal that would work for the club, referring to Tuesday night’s report of a trade that would’ve sent Werenski to the Dallas Stars. After taking time to discuss it with his family, the defenseman decided he wanted to remain in Columbus and used his no-movement clause to veto the trade.

Werenski said that he’d hoped this situation wouldn’t become a public issue, adding that everything got blown out of proportion. He stressed that he and his family love Columbus and he loves playing for the Blue Jackets, saying that he wants to win and wants to do so in Columbus.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski’s rumored reluctance to sign one next summer was what started this situation in the first place. Neither he nor Waddell mentioned a contract extension in their statements.

Based on those statements, Werenski isn’t going anywhere this summer or this season. However, it’s worth noting that his full no-movement clause becomes a 10-team trade list next July 1, which is the earliest that he can sign an extension.

It’ll be interesting to see what effect this situation has on Kirill Marchenko’s reported unwillingness to sign an extension this summer. The 25-year-old winger is a year away from restricted free-agent status with arbitration rights and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July 2028, which is the same time that Werenski’s current contract expires.

Food for thought if the Blue Jackets fail to make the playoffs this season.

SPORTSNET: The Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman John Carlson to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $8.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlson will replace the departed Darren Raddysh on the right side of the Lightning’s blueline. The length of the deal is reasonable for the 36-year-old defenseman, and he’s getting a slight pay bump over his previous $8 million AAV.

Carlson is coming off a 60-point performance with the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks. However, he’s at the stage of his long career when a decline in performance is inevitable.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed winger Tyson Foerster to an eight-year contract extension worth an AAV of $7.1 million beginning in 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Foerster, 24, had back-to-back seasons with 20 or more goals in 2023-24 and 2024-25. An upper-body injury limited him to 29 games last season, but he still managed 13 goals and 17 points. The Flyers are banking on him continuing to develop into a reliable two-way top-six winger.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu reports Ivan Demidov’s contract extension means the Montreal Canadiens have their top four forwards (including Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky) and top four defensemen (Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, and Kaiden Guhle) under contract through 2030 for under $63 million.

With those players taking less than market value, it’s now up to Canadiens management to use those savings to surround those core players with a solid supporting cast that will help them win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, Demidov inked an eight-year extension yesterday worth an AAV of $9.15 million. That could become a bargain for the Canadiens if he develops as expected.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton did a tremendous job rebuilding the Canadiens over the past four years into a playoff team. How they build up the roster around those core players over the next four years will determine whether they’ll be a good team or a great one.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils became the first team in this offseason to sign a player to an offer sheet, inking Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayton to a one-year, $4.775 million offer.

The Mammoth will have seven days from the date of the signing to match the offer. If they don’t, they’ll receive the Devils’ 2027 second-round pick as compensation.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle reports that the Devils had trade talks with the Mammoth for Hayton, but those discussions broke down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The twist here is that the Mammoth won’t be able to trade Hayton for one year if they match the Devils’ offer. That means they won’t be able to move him at the March trade deadline if they should become sellers by that point. They also won’t be able to peddle him during next year’s draft weekend.

TSN: The Seattle Kraken signed Mackie Samoskevich to a three-year contract worth an AAV of $3.85 million. They acquired the 23-year-old winger from the Florida Panthers last month for two draft picks.

KTNV’s Taylor Rocha reports that Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon said defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has been placed on long-term injury reserve. He had to come off at the end of last season but was returned to LTIR on July 1. McCrimmon indicated that Pietrangelo’s status has not changed.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, any talk of Pietrangelo returning to action after missing all of last season due to a chronic hip injury can be put to rest. His playing career is over.

THE ATHLETIC: The Blue Jackets will reportedly add Don Granato as an assistant coach.