NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2026

by | Aug 27, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 27, 2026

The questions facing the Lightning this season, four Oilers will miss training camp, the top Vezina Trophy candidates for 2026-27, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Whether Victor Hedman can return to form as an elite No. 1 defenseman is among the big questions facing the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2026-27.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman (NHL Images).

The 35-year-old Lightning captain appeared in just 33 games last season, including missing the final 22 games of the regular season and all seven of his club’s playoff games. He revealed that he took a leave of absence to prioritize his mental health.

Hedman said he has no regrets about taking that leave of absence, saying that he was dealing with performance anxiety, which in part was related to injuries that hampered his play. The long-time Lightning star claims he’s “feeling great” now and has been skating regularly during the offseason.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A bounce-back season for Hedman would be a significant factor in the Lightning’s performance this season.

Whether John Carlson can replace the departed Darren Raddysh and whether young players such as Conor Geekie and Sam O’Reilly can make an impact are other notable questions for the Lightning this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raddysh parlayed a career-best 70-point season with the Lightning into a lucrative contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Carlson is older than the 30-year-old late-blooming Raddysh, but the 36-year-old is an experienced puck-moving defenseman who had 60 points in 71 games with the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks last season. He should have enough left in the tank to replace Raddysh’s offense.

As for Geekie and O’Reilly, the jury remains out. Geekie is entering his third NHL season while O’Reilly is entering his first pro season after four seasons of junior hockey.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Goaltender Frederik Andersen is among four Oilers who will miss training camp for medical reasons.

Andersen and winger Matt Savoie are still rehabilitating injuries that occurred during offseason training. Forward Mattias Janmark and defenseman Alec Regula are still recovering from surgeries performed last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The absence of Andersen and Savoie could be the most concerning for the Oilers.

Andersen, 36, was signed to a one-year, $2.8 million contract. He helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup last season, but has been sidelined frequently by injuries. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported Andersen could be sidelined until late October. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Savoie is coming off a promising 37-point rookie campaign.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Former Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin said he wasn’t happy during his final season in San Jose.

“In the games I played, I thought I played well,” Mukhamadullin said. “There was some misunderstanding with the coaching staff. I won’t spell it out clearly, but there were some disagreements.”

Mukhamadullin, 24, was traded by the Sharks to the Oilers in July as part of the return for blueliner Darnell Nurse.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade to Edmonton gives Mukhamadullin the chance to reset his NHL career after struggling to crack the Sharks’ roster over the past three seasons. He could become a key part of the Oilers’ blueline if he can make the most of this opportunity.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin listed his top Vezina Trophy candidates as the NHL’s top goaltender for 2026-27.

Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals sits atop his list, with 2025-26 Vezina winner Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning in second place and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders in third.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link for the full listing. Feel free to share your thoughts on that list in the comments section below.

NHL.COM: The league released its US television schedule for 2026-27. 172 games will be broadcast on TNT Sports and ESPN this season, beginning with the season-opening triple-header on Sept. 29.










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.










Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 1, 2026

by | Jul 1, 2026

Notable NHL Free Agent Signings and Trades – July 1, 2026

The Edmonton Oilers sign goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract with a $1 million base salary and $1.8 million performance bonus.

The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Mario Ferraro to a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $4 million

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils have signed Utah Mammoth restricted free agent forward Barrett Hayton to a one-year offer sheet worth $4.775 million. The Mammoth will receive the Devils’ 2027 second-round pick as compensation if they don’t match the offer within seven days.

The Utah Mammoth signs winger Anders Lee to a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $5.4 million.

The Edmonton Oilers sign defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $4 million.

The New York Rangers trade defenseman Will Borgen to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2028.

The New York Rangers acquire defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2030 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

The Edmonton Oilers trade defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and prospect blueliner Zack Sharp. The Oilers did not retain salary in this deal.

The New York Rangers trade center Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Sean Durzi, prospect center Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third-round draft pick.

The Washington Capitals sign Boone Jenner to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5.75 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs trade goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Nick Paul.

The Boston Bruins trade goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers for a fourth-round pick in 2028.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $5 million contract.

The New York Rangers signed forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign center Colton Sissons to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $4.25 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year deal worth an average annual value of $7 million.

The San Jose Sharks sign defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $8.25 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

The Winnipeg Jets sign goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.75 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sign forward Jack Roslovic to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4 million.

The Colorado Avalanche sign forward Jaden Schwartz to a three-year contract worth an AAV of $3.25 million

The Florida Panthers re-sign forward Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year contract worth an AAV of $5 million.

The Vegas Golden Knights re-sign defenseman Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

The San Jose Sharks signed winger Mason Marchment to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7 million.

The Detroit Red Wings sign winger Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $5 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign winger Mats Zuccarello to a one-year contract worth $1 million in base salary, along with a $5.5 million performance bonus. 

The Montreal Canadiens sign winger Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.125 million.

The Chicago Blackhawks sign defenseman Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract extension with an average annual value of $12.5 million.

The New Jersey Devils sign center Nico Hischier to a five-year, $58.5 million contract extension with an average annual value of $11.7 million.

The Dallas Stars trade forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick in 2027 and a third-round pick in 2028.

The Florida Panthers sign Radko Gudas to a six-year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million.

The Toronto Maple Leafs trade winger Nick Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick (year TBD).

Buffalo Sabres re-sign defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9 million contract with an AAV of $3 million.

The Los Angeles Kings sign forward Erik Haula to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.6 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2026

by | Jun 15, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – June 15, 2026

What’s next for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights? Could Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck request a trade? What’s the latest on the Flyers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE 2026 STANLEY CUP FINALISTS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark examined the keys to the offseason for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights.

Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. They have Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov under contract for next season, so unless the Canes are comfortable carrying three goalies, Andersen could be the odd man out.

The Hurricanes must also negotiate with restricted free agent defenseman Alexander Nikishin, but after that, they’ll likely fill in around the edges rather than make a big move as they did last summer when they signed Nikolaj Ehlers. They could extend defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield or look for third-pairing help elsewhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Justin Pelletier of The News & Observer pointed out that the Hurricanes’ championship window remains wide open.

The Hurricanes have $11.9 million in cap space for 2026-27 to re-sign or replace their UFAs and to re-sign Nikishin. Thirteen of their 14 roster forwards, five of their seven defensemen, and two of their three goalies are under contract next season.

Pelletier pointed out the Hurricanes have 20 players signed through next season, and 15 signed beyond that. They won’t have any need to rebuild anytime soon.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (NHL Images).

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have salary-cap issues to address. They must decide if they’ll re-sign pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and they have to re-sign restricted free-agent winger Pavel Dorofeyev.

Goaltender Adin Hill backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup three years ago, but didn’t play in this postseason. He’s got five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million, and is a trade candidate this summer. They could also look at moving other players to free up salary cap room.

Alex Pietrangelo’s status is another factor. He missed this season recovering from hip surgery, but indicated he’ll try to come back next season. Pietrangelo has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $8.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights have $4.625 million in cap space for 2026-27. They’ll get $8.8 million in cap relief if Pietrangelo remains on long-term injury reserve next season. They can exceed the $104 million cap by 10 percent starting on July 1, but must be cap-compliant when their regular season begins in October.

If Pietrangelo stays on LTIR and they take the 10 percent offseason overage, the Golden Knights could still lack sufficient cap room to re-sign Andersson and Dorofeyev. That means losing the former to free agency and potentially the latter to an offer sheet unless they make one or two cost-cutting moves.

COULD JETS GOALIE CONNOR HELLEBUYCK REQUEST A TRADE?

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: A reader asked Ken Wiebe if goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would follow the example of Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin by requesting a trade.

Wiebe noted that Hellebuyck expressed displeasure with the Jets’ direction during his end-of-season media availability in April. However, there hasn’t been any real fallout yet.

Hellebuyck could be waiting to see what general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff does during the offseason to improve the roster during the upcoming draft weekend, free agency, and the summer trade market.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau suggested the New Jersey Devils could chase Hellebuyck if they manage to trade away starter Jacob Markstrom. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes recently reported the Devils are gauging Markstrom’s value in the trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers have taken Hellebuyck’s comments to suggest that he wants out. However, what he actually said was the Jets had to improve to win the Stanley Cup. However, he could seek a trade in a year or two if they fail to make any meaningful improvement this summer.

THE LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER’s Jackie Spiegel recently reported hearing there is mutual interest between the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who requested a trade last week.

Spiegel indicated that Nurse is the nephew of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. She wondered what he might cost to acquire, whether the Oilers would retain part of his $9.25 million AAV, and if there was another move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers could have a bigger need for a right-shot defenseman with Rasmus Ristolainen having a year left on his contract. Nurse is also in his early thirties and earns the salary of a first-pairing defenseman, but his play is that of a second-pairing blueliner.

Unless the Oilers will retain a hefty chunk of Nurse’s salary, he might not be a fit for the Flyers.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports sources claimed the Flyers are close to a contract extension with goaltender Dan Vladar. According to Weekes, it’s a five-year extension with an AAV that could be in the mid-$5 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar’s goaltending played a significant role in the Flyers exceeding expectations this season by qualifying for the playoffs and advancing to the second round. The 28-year-old is completing the first season of a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.35 million.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2026

by | Jun 15, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2026

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Champions. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

The Carolina Hurricanes blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final to win the series and hockey’s holy grail four games to two. It’s their first championship since 2006.

2026 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (NHL.com).

Taylor Hall opened the scoring with what proved to be the game-winning goal just 3:47 into the first period. Jackson Blake made it 2-0 in the second period, and Nikolaj Ehlers’ empty-netter with 1:08 remaining in the third period put the game out of reach. Goaltender Brandon Bussi turned in a 22-save shutout.

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal was voted the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He had eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 19 games, with six of those goals coming in the first five games of the Cup Final, becoming the first player to score five goals to start a Cup Final since Jean Beliveau in 1956.

The 37-year-old Staal is the oldest player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. He also set a record for the longest time between Stanley Cup Championships (17 years). The first time he won the Cup was in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Speaking of Taylor Hall, he became the first player in NHL history to be selected first overall in the draft, win the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, and win the Stanley Cup with three different teams. Hall was chosen first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010, and won the Hart Trophy with the New Jersey Devils in 2017-18.

For Brandon Bussi, his Game 6 shutout capped a whirlwind season that began when he was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. He had a record of 31-6-2 in 39 regular-season games, but didn’t make his postseason debut until the third period of Game 3, when he relieved starter Frederik Andersen. Bussi subsequently started the remaining games of this series, winning all three.

As for Andersen, he was surprised to be the first player Staal handed the Stanley Cup to after receiving it from league commissioner Gary Bettman. Andersen started every game in this postseason until Bussi relieved him in Game 3. He revealed that he suffered a knee injury in Game 2 and struggled to play through it in the following game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersen’s solid play was a big reason why the Hurricanes reached the Final. He finished with a record of 13-2 with a 1.89 goals-against average, a save percentage of .910, and three shutouts.

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin became the second American to win the Stanley Cup in the same year that he won Olympic gold with Team USA. Ken Morrow was the first, winning a gold medal in the 1980 Olympics and the Stanley Cup later that year with the New York Islanders.

The additions of Hall, Bussi and Ehlers last year, along with the rise of Blake and Logan Stankoven, gave the Hurricanes the depth they previously lacked to march to the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blake (20 points), Hall (19 points), Ehlers (18 points) and Stankoven (16 points) finished as the Hurricanes’ leading scorers in this postseason. The second line of Stankoven, Hall, and Blake was their most consistent throughout this postseason.

This is the second Stanley Cup championship for Rod Brind’Amour, and his first as head coach. He won his first Cup with Carolina as team captain in 2006.

As for the Vegas Golden Knights, their march to the Stanley Cup Final capped a roller-coaster season that saw them in danger of missing the playoffs until they replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach with John Tortorella in late March.

Speaking of Tortorella, he’s unsure of his future with the Golden Knights. The club hired him for the remainder of this season. He thanked team owner Bill Foley, team president George McPhee, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon for giving him the chance to coach the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll likely be a few days before we learn of Tortorella’s fate. After the job he did in reversing the Golden Knights’ fortunes, it wouldn’t be shocking if they sign him to a contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – June 14, 2026

by | Jun 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – June 14, 2026

The latest on the Hurricanes and Golden Knights on the eve of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Devils gauge the trade market for Jacob Markstrom, the latest Dylan Larkin speculation, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors. 

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille listed three keys for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday.

Whether Mitch Marner can restart his push for the Conn Smythe Trophy and dealing with the absence of two-way center William Karlsson are among the keys for the Golden Knights.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Since his hat trick performance in Game 3, Marner has only one point in five-on-five play. Meanwhile, Karlsson will miss Game 6 (and possibly Game 7 if required) with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Gentille wondered how Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers follows up his “worst game” of the playoffs. He also wondered if their struggling power play can produce as well as it did in Game 5, when they scored twice with the man advantage.

Ehlers had three assists in Game 5, but also took two uncharacteristic delay-of-game penalties, with the first resulting in a Golden Knights goal.

TSN: Hurricanes former starting goaltender Frederik Andersen remained the team’s third-stringer during practice on Saturday. Brandon Bussi will be their starter for the third straight game, while Pyotr Kochetkov will serve as his backup.

Bussi replaced Andersen after the latter gave up four goals in the second period of Game 3.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella is doubling down on Carter Hart as his starting goaltender. Despite Hart giving up at least four goals in each of the previous five games in this series, Tortorella believes the netminder has a better game in him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes can become Stanley Cup champions with a win in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas. A win for the Golden Knights will force the seventh and deciding game on Wednesday.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports sources claim the New Jersey Devils are gauging the trade market for goaltender Jacob Markstrom. He also indicated that a deal isn’t imminent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lack of quality goaltending depth in this summer’s free-agent market could push teams into the trade market for help.

Markstrom’s coming off a difficult season, finishing with a record of 23-19-1, a 3.07 goals-against average, and an .883 save percentage. He’s in the final season of his six-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million and a full no-movement clause. He starts a two-year contract extension on July 1 with an average annual value of $6 million and a 20-team no-trade list in 2026-27 and a 5-team NTC in 2027-28.

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan believes the Detroit Red Wings must land a first-line center for Dylan Larkin. Proposed packages of draft picks, prospects, wingers or goaltenders won’t address their need for a suitable replacement for Larkin.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman recently reported the Florida Panthers have made an offer for Larkin, but he didn’t reveal the details.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s unlikely the Red Wings will get a first-line center straight up for Larkin. They’ll either have to swing a three-team deal or use whatever assets they receive and try to make a separate move to address that need.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen speculated that Larkin’s addition in the trade market could delay the New York Rangers’ efforts to trade Vincent Trocheck. He noted that the Red Wings’ interest in the 33-year-old center could intensify if they don’t get a center back in the Larkin trade.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of Trocheck, Jack Studley believes he’ll remain on the Boston Bruins radar as they search for a No. 1 center this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin has a three-team trade list, though his camp is reportedly open to expanding it. Teams seeking a first-line center that aren’t among his preferred destinations could continue to pursue Trocheck, but the latter will likely have to wait until the Larkin saga is settled.

SPORTSNET: Michael Amato listed four players who could become contract buyout candidates this summer.

Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes tops that list, followed by winger Ondrej Palat of the New York Islanders, forward Jordan Greenway of the Buffalo Sabres, and winger Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kotkaniemi and Palat are the more likely buyout candidates.

Kotkaniemi has four years left on his deal with an AAV of $4.82 million. He’s been a healthy scratch throughout this postseason.

Palat has a year left on his deal with a $6 million cap hit. The Islanders acquired him from the Devils at midseason, but the move did little to improve his performance.

Gallagher has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $65 million. He’s been linked to the Vancouver Canucks in the rumor mill, but the Canadiens might have to retain part of his salary. Greenway (one year, $4 million cap hit) could still have value in the trade market.