NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2026

by | Jun 10, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2026

The Hurricanes get a critical win in the Stanley Cup Final, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog wins two awards, the latest on the Oilers’ efforts to hire Mike Babcock, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Stanley Cup Final is tied again as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

The Hurricanes jumped to a 3-1 lead in the first period on goals by Logan Stankoven, Jackson Black, and Jordan Staal. However, Golden Knights forwards William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored in the second period to tie the game. Howden leads this postseason with 14 goals, setting the Golden Knights’ single-season playoff record.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (NHL Images).

Staal put the Hurricanes back on top in the third period with a diving backhand goal that left him sprawling on the ice. Nikolaj Ehlers netted an empty-net insurance goal late in the period as his clearing effort from behind his own net travelled the length of the ice.

This series returns to Carolina for Game 5 on Thursday at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a critical win for the Hurricanes. A loss would’ve put them behind three games to one. Instead, they’re heading home with the series tied at two.

Staal has a series-leading five goals and has scored in each game of the Final. Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella admitted his team has had difficulty containing the Hurricanes’ captain. “He’s killing us in front of the net,” Tortorella said. “We’ve gotta do a better job around the blue paint.”

Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi picked up his first win in his first start in an NHL playoff game. He relieved starter Frederik Andersen after the second period of Game 3 when the latter gave up four goals. Pyotr Kochetkov was Bussi’s backup while Andersen was listed as a healthy scratch. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said he felt Andersen needed a break, but some observers wonder if the veteran netminder might be nursing an injury.

It was another rough outing for Carter Hart. The Golden Knights goalie entered this series considered a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. However, he’s become the first netminder in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award.

Landeskog was a finalist for the Masterton last season for his efforts in resuming his playing career after being sidelined for over two seasons recovering from knee surgeries. This season was his first full campaign, finishing with 35 points in 60 games.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the NHL Players’ Association has asked the league to conduct a full investigation into Mike Babcock’s departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the Edmonton Oilers can officially hire him as head coach.

The league’s initial position was that it had to be informed that the Oilers intended to hire Babcock before stepping in. However, sources told Friedman that what’s at issue is the fact the league was prepared to investigate what happened with the Blue Jackets before Babcock resigned as their head coach in September 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock stepped down over allegations he was invading his players’ privacy by requesting to see personal photos on their cellphones.

Friedman said it’s expected the PA’s request will be granted and an investigation will be conducted. He’s not certain if it will prevent the Oilers from hiring Babcock in the meantime, but he thinks it’s hard to see them doing so knowing an investigation is imminent.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed center Michael McCarron to a six-year, $20-million contract extension. McCarron, 31, will earn an average annual value of $3.333 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates he also has a full no-movement clause for the first three seasons. The NMC remains in place in the final three seasons to prevent him from being demoted to the minors, but he will have a 15-team no-trade clause.

Acquired from the Nashville Predators at the trade deadline, McCarron’s physical style and versatility made him a good fit with the Wild. This is the best contract of his career, coming off a two-year deal with an AAV of $900K.

With all due respect to McCarron, it’s unusual for a player of his caliber to get a six-year contract. It was likely done to ensure his cap hit would be an affordable $3.333 million. However, the full no-movement clause is rare for someone like him, and could come back to haunt the Wild if they need to make a cost-cutting move down the road.

This signing could also complicate the Wild’s efforts to acquire Dylan Larkin. The Detroit Red Wings center has Minnesota on his three-team list of trade destinations. McCarron’s signing leaves the Wild with over $9.4 million in cap space for next season.

Larkin carries an AAV of $8.7 million through 2030-31. The Wings won’t be open to retaining part of his cap hit for the next five seasons. The Wild will have to include one or two roster players in that deal to ensure they have sufficient salary-cap flexibility next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2026

by | Jun 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid wins the Lindsay Award, the latest on the Hurricanes and Golden Knights, Joe Pavelski is among the candidates to become the next coach of the Maple Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has won the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given annually to the league’s most outstanding player as voted by the membership of the NHL Players’ Association.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth time that McDavid has won the Lindsay Award, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. McDavid is also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA), which he’s won three times.

The Lindsay Award is the second trophy that McDavid has won this season. In April, he won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer for the sixth time.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Carolina Hurricanes face multiple questions as they find themselves down two games to one to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.

The biggest is whether to have Frederik Andersen or Brandon Bussi in net for Game 4 on Tuesday. Andersen has started every game in this postseason for the Hurricanes, but was pulled after the second period in Game 3 after giving up four goals. Bussi played well in the third period as the Canes rallied to force overtime before falling 5-4 in the second OT period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes played poorly in front of Andersen in Game 3, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets the start on Tuesday.

Some argue that Andersen was tired after 16 straight postseason starts, but it’s unlikely that fatigue was a factor in Game 3. Andersen’s workload hasn’t been that heavy in these playoffs. He and his teammates had nearly two weeks off between the second round and the Eastern Conference Final, and they made quick work of their three previous opponents before facing the more experienced Golden Knights.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb has garnered praise from his teammates and head coach John Tortorella for his toughness in this series.

McNabb left Game 2 in the first period with facial injuries that required a trip to a local hospital for repairs. After receiving over 20 stitches in his nose, he played in Game 3 wearing a protective cage on his mask, logging 35:47 minutes of ice time and collecting two assists.

TSN: Former NHL forward Joe Pavelski is among the candidates to be head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs as the club’s search enters its second phase.

Pavelski played 18 seasons in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars from 2006-07 to 2023-24, netting 1,068 points in 1,332 regular-season games. However, he has limited coaching experience other than coaching his son Nate at the youth level.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It remains to be seen if Pavelski would get the job, but it shows the Maple Leafs are at least willing to think outside the box a little.

Like Pavelski, Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis’ only coaching experience was working with his sons when the Montreal Canadiens named him head coach in 2021-22. He’s since led that rebuilding team from dead last four years ago to the Eastern Conference Final this season.

RATINGS: Marco D’Amico recently profiled center Caleb Malhotra of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. The 18-year-old rookie finished second among the Bulldogs with 84 points.

The son of former NHL player and current Vancouver Canucks coach Manny Malhotra, Caleb hopes to emerge from his father’s shadow and shift the focus onto the player he’s trying to become.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see where Malhotra gets selected in the first round. Most scouting sites have him being chosen in the top 10 between fourth and seventh overall.

BOSTON HERALD: Milan Lucic officially announced his retirement on his 38th birthday (June 7).

Lucic spent 18 seasons in the NHL from 2007-08 to 2023-24 with the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames. He had 233 goals, 353 assists, 586 points, and 1,301 PIMs in 1,177 regular-season games. Lucic also had 29 goals and 48 assists for 77 points in 136 playoff games, winning the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucic’s best seasons were with the Bruins, becoming one of the league’s top power forwards during that time. However, his performance tailed off over the final seven seasons as age, injuries and the faster pace of the game took its toll.

Lucic attempted a comeback with the Blues this season, but that ended after five games with their AHL affiliate in Springfield. He finished this season in England with the Fife Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2026

by | May 31, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2026

The leading candidates to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, the latest on the Golden Knights and Hurricanes ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen and Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner are the leading choices of NHL.com’s staff writers to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as this season’s playoff MVP.

Of the 15 staffers, eight predicted that Andersen would win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Four predicted Marner would take home the award.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

Hurricanes forwards Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each received one vote. Golden Knights center Jack Eichel also got one vote.

Ten of their staff writers also predicted the Hurricanes would become Stanley Cup champions.

The 2026 Stanley Cup Final begins Tuesday, June 2, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Professional Hockey Writers Association selects the Conn Smythe Trophy winner at the end of the playoffs.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The remaining original members of the Vegas Golden Knights (aka “The Golden Misfits”)are preparing for their third trip to the Stanley Cup Final since the club’s inaugural season in 2017-18.

They include defenseman Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb, and forwards William Karlsson and Reilly Smith.

Of the four, Smith is the only one not to have played the entire nine seasons with the Golden Knights. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins following their 2023 Stanley Cup run. Smith also spent time with the New York Rangers before returning in a trade last season.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is “super thankful” that his club has reached the Stanley Cup Final.

Since Dundon became majority owner of the Hurricanes in 2018, the club reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2019, 2023 and 2025, but was unable to advance to the Cup Final until this season.

Dundon is pleased with the work done by general manager Eric Tulsky building the roster. He’s especially happy for Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour and the five Hurricanes who’ve played through those eight years: Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Martinook, and team captain Jordan Staal.

“There’s a reason those five are still here,” Dundon said. “They’re super important to me. They’re super important to the organization. And yeah, it would be awesome, and Rod, it would be awesome for him (to win the Cup).”

DAILY FACEOFF: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson praised the Hurricanes’ performance following Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday. He also noted that he and his teammates still have a ways to go to contend for the Cup.

“They played really well too, but I’m not really sure why we couldn’t bring better,” Hutson said after the Hurricanes eliminated the Canadiens in Game 5. “We’re still far off, and we know it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have a promising young core that includes Hutson and forwards Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov. However, it will be up to the club’s management to continue improving the roster depth around those core players.

DAILY FACEOFF: The family of former NHL star Claude Lemieux released a statement on Saturday indicating that they will be donating his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank to study the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries and repetitive head impacts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lemieux died by suicide last week at age 60. His family indicated that he had been battling depression. The study will determine if he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a degenerative brain disease found in individuals with a history of repetitive head trauma.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Former NHL star Dennis Hull passed away on Saturday at age 81.

The younger brother of Hall of Fame winger Bobby Hull, Dennis played 14 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings from 1964-65 to 1977-78. He spent 13 of those seasons in Chicago, with eight of those as Bobby’s teammate.

Hull scored 303 goals and 351 assists for 654 points in 959 regular-season games, along with 33 goals and 34 assists for 67 points in 104 playoff contests. That included a career-high 40 goals in 1970-71 and 90 points in 1972-73. He reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Blackhawks in 1965, 1971, and 1973. Hull was also a member of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Hull’s family, friends, former teammates, and the Blackhawks’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2026

by | May 30, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2026

The Hurricanes advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Timo Meier suspended from the World Championship semifinal, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes advanced to the Stanley Cup Final by defeating the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final, winning the best-of-seven series four games to one.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall (NHL Images).

Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and two assists, and Frederik Andersen stopped 23 shots for the Hurricanes. Cole Caufield scored the only goal for the Canadiens.

The Hurricanes will face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, June 2, in Raleigh.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a well-deserved series victory by the Hurricanes. After a 6-2 defeat in Game 1, they dominated the Canadiens over the next four games, limiting them to just five goals. Their aggressive forechecking and suffocating defensive play left their opponents in this series, and in this postseason thus far, with little time and space to maneuver. It has given them an impressive 12-1 record after three rounds entering the Stanley Cup Final.

This victory was an emotional one for Andersen. He dedicated the win to his late agent, Claude Lemieux, who died on Thursday. “It’s so special to be able to show up for him and make him proud, just go out and battle,” Andersen said. “The whole team supported me as well. This has been so special to be a part of.”

What’s also notable is the Hurricanes reached this stage without making a significant addition to their roster at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, the moves made by Eric Tulsky since becoming general manager two years ago contributed to this run. Hall and Stankoven were among his acquisitions, along with Nikolaj Ehlers, K’Andre Miller, Shayne Gostisbehere, Eric Robinson, William Carrier, Sean Walker, and Brandon Bussi.

As for the Canadiens, it’s a disappointing end to their surprising playoff run. However, it doesn’t overshadow their impressive improvement this season. They finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with 106 points and eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in the first two rounds.

Given their core of young talent, and with more on the way, the Canadiens have a bright future. They weren’t good enough to defeat the Hurricanes in this series. However, if they can learn from the hard lessons of this series, the same lessons the Hurricanes themselves learned in their last three trips to the Conference Final since 2019, the Habs could soon become a serious Stanley Cup contender.

DAILY FACEOFF: The International Ice Hockey Federation has suspended Switzerland forward Timo Meier from the semifinal of the 2026 World Championship for kneeing Swedish forward Oskar Sundqvist during the quarterfinal game between the two countries.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Utah Mammoth’s acquisition of forward JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres for forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring backfired on them during this postseason.

Peterka put up decent numbers in the regular season (25 goals, 47 points) but was held scoreless in the Mammoth’s six-game playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, raising questions about his postseason readiness.

Meanwhile, Doan had 25 goals and 52 points during the regular season with the Sabres. He thrived during their two-series playoff run, finishing with three goals and 10 points in 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Time will tell which team ultimately wins this deal, but the early nod must go to the Sabres.

BOSTON.COM: Former Bruins enforcer and radio host Lyndon Byers was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), his family announced on Thursday.

Byers passed away last June at age 61. Before his death, he had pledged his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University’s CTE Center for further testing. His family authorized the results of the testing to be revealed to raise awareness about the effects of CTE.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL has consistently rejected the link between head trauma and CTE. However, Byers is among 20 former NHL players to be diagnosed with the condition following their deaths, including Hall of Famers Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Henri Richard.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2026

by | May 22, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 22, 2026

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we have the latest trade speculation about Devils defenseman Simon Nemec and Bruins blueliner Mason Lohrei, plus some proposed backup goalie candidates for the Senators.

TRADE RUMORS PERSIST ABOUT DEVILS DEFENSEMAN SIMON NEMEC

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited a report from overseas, claiming Simon Nemec had requested a trade from the Devils. Nichols reported the 22-year-old defenseman’s agent was unavailable for comment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nemec is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He’s been the subject of trade rumors this season, with some reports suggesting he could seek a new deal equivalent to that of fellow Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, who inked a seven-year contract last fall worth an average annual value of $9 million.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (NHL Images).

The report also claimed that the club’s new general manager, Sunny Mehta, had not reached out to the 22-year-old defenseman or his agent about a new contract. However, a source told Nichols that wasn’t the case.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nichols reported that the Devils had yet to comment on this situation. However, Slovak hockey insider Tomas Prokop claimed Nemec has not requested a trade. Hopefully, we’ll have more clarity on this issue soon.

Speaking of the Devils, Nichols believes they face a real threat of at least one of their restricted free agents being targeted with an offer sheet during the offseason.

Nemec, winger Arseny Gritsyuk, and forward Paul Cotter are eligible to sign offer sheets on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils have $11.875 million in projected salary cap space for 2026-27 with 18 roster players under contract. Matching an expensive offer for Nemec (for example) wouldn’t leave much to fill out the rest of the roster, and would require a cost-cutting trade or two to address the issue.

Bear in mind that a player must be willing to sign an offer sheet from a rival club. If they’re not interested, the Devils have nothing to worry about. Gritsyuk and Cotter have arbitration rights. If they file by the July 5 deadline, they will be ineligible to receive an offer sheet.

Nemec is the most likely target, but it’s unlikely he’ll receive an unmatchable offer. He has plenty of potential as a puck-moving blueliner, but his defensive issues could make him a less attractive offer-sheet candidate.

WILL THE BRUINS PEDDLE MASON LOHREI THIS SUMMER?

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jack Studley believes the Bruins should use defenseman Mason Lohrei as a trade chip to acquire more skill and speed.

The 25-year-old Lohrei is the youngest player on the Bruins roster. General manager Don Sweeney spoke highly of the puck-moving blueliner, but he was the subject of trade rumors this season. He was also a healthy scratch for the Bruins final three playoff games.

Studley believes Lohrei remains a valuable trade asset with offensive upside, who has also improved his defensive game this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei remains the Bruin most likely to be traded this summer. He could be packaged with a draft pick or a prospect if they intend to pursue a top-six forward.

BACKUP GOALIE OPTIONS FOR THE SENATORS

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch recently examined potential backup goaltending targets for the Senators.

They included Stuart Skinner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Connor Ingram of the Edmonton Oilers. Both are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. They could also turn to Leevi Merilainen from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ingram might be the easier fit as a backup option. Skinner will likely want to play for a club where he’ll be the starter.

Garrioch also mentioned pending UFA Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes, but his performance in this year’s playoffs could raise his value in the free-agent market. Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild could be a trade option, but the asking price will be high.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes could retain Andersen for another season. Wallstedt would be too costly to acquire, plus he won’t be available until the Wild knows if starter Filip Gustavsson has fully recovered from offseason hip surgery.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 27, 2025

The Hurricanes avoid elimination in the Eastern Conference Final, updates on the Oilers and Stars ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HURRICANES STAVE OFF ELIMINATION FROM THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes avoided being swept from the Eastern Conference Final by blanking the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

Frederik Andersen returned in the net for the Hurricanes and turned in a 20-save shutout while Logan Stankoven, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov were the goal scorers. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots.

Panthers forwards Sam Reinhart and A.J. Greer and defenseman Niko Mikkola missed Game 4 with undisclosed injuries. They’re considered day-to-day.

The series returns to Carolina for Game 5 on Wednesday, May 28, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first win in a Conference Final game for the Hurricanes since 2006. Unlike the previous three games in this series, they played a better, disciplined defensive game and received solid goaltending from Andersen, who had been benched for Game 3 after two shaky outings earlier in this series.

The Hurricanes still face elimination heading into Game 5, but this win should boost their confidence and determination to atone for their two previous disappointing efforts on home ice.

LATEST ON THE OILERS AND STARS

TSN: Sidelined Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard and defenseman Mattias Ekholm could suit up for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday. Pickard’s been out with an undisclosed injury since May 10, while Ekholm’s been on the shelf since Apr. 11 with what’s believed to be a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pickard took over for starter Stuart Skinner in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and won six straight before he got hurt in the next round against the Vegas Golden Knights. He’ll be backing up Skinner, who has regained his form by winning four of his last five, including three shutouts.

Ekholm’s return will likely send Troy Stecher to the press box, but he understands the situation. Stecher’s played well, filling in for the sidelined Ekholm, but admits the latter is a better player than he is.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are hoping that Roope Hintz will return to action in Game 4. The first-line center suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2 that kept him out of the following game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars also hope that leading scorer Mikko Rantanen snaps out of his slump. He has nine goals and 21 points but only two assists in three games against the Oilers, who lead the series 2-1.

IN OTHER NEWS…

RG.ORG: NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh said there is a shared desire with the league to get things done right as negotiations on a new CBA continue between the two sides.

Walsh shared the view of league commissioner Gary Bettman that an agreement could be reached well before the September 2026 expiration of the current CBA. He indicated there is no timetable for negotiations to be completed.

Regarding possible changes to LTIR, Walsh said the two sides have been exchanging ideas, and the discussion remains open. He believes that topic “will find its way and progress in accordance with the whole conversation on a new CBA.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation suggests an agreement could be reached by the end of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, perhaps by the 2025 NHL Draft (June 27-28). It could take longer than that to hammer out a new CBA, with talks stretching throughout the offseason.

Considering the fractious labor relations history between the two sides, the fact that they believe a deal could be reached well before next September is good news. Nobody wants another work stoppage threatening to shorten or derail another season.

IIHF.COM: Former NHL players Henrik Lundqvist, Zdeno Chara, Frans Nielsen and David Vyborny were formally inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Class of 2025 was announced back in January. Congratulations once again to Lundqvist, Chara, Nielsen and Vyborny, and the other inductees.

EVZ.CH: New Jersey Devils winger Tomas Tatar will be playing overseas next season. The 34-year-old signed a two-year contract with EV Zug in Switzerland’s National League. He is expected to play center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stick tap to Alexander Wirdzek. Tatar spent 14 seasons in the NHL from 2010-11 to 2024-25 with the Detroit Red Wings, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Seattle Kraken and the Devils. He scored 227 goals and 269 assists for 496 points in 927 regular-season games, and had 13 points in 56 playoff contests.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Brannstrom is also heading to Switzerland, signing a three-year contract with Lausanne Hockey Club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brannstrom, 25, was a highly-touted defense prospect when the Vegas Golden Knights selected him 15th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Traded to Ottawa, he spent six of his seven NHL seasons with the Senators.

Brannstrom bounced around the league this season. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent last summer but was traded to the Canucks before the start of the regular season. He played 28 games with the Canucks before being shipped to the New York Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade in January, and to the Sabres at the trade deadline. Brannstrom had 77 points in 294 NHL games.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Frost are the PWHL champions for the second straight season. Liz Schepers scored in overtime to defeat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 in Game 4 of the Final to win the Walter Cup.