NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

by | Nov 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the NHL and NHLPA discuss neck guards for its players, Paul Stastny retires, the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy is suspended, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied a hat trick and defenseman Quinn Hughes had three assists in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Colton Sissons and Dante Fabbro replied for the Predators. The Canucks end the month of October with a record of 6-2-1 while the Predators slipped to 4-5-0.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A much better start for the Canucks compared to last season (2-5-2), 2021-22 (3-5-1) and 2020-21 (4-5-0). A healthy roster, strong performances from Pettersson and Hughes and the players’ adjustment to head coach Rick Tocchet’s system are among the contributing factors. Pettersson sits second among NHL scorers with 16 points and Quinn (11 points) is tied for the scoring lead among NHL defensemen.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Cam Talbot made 29 saves, Phillip Danault scored what proved to be the game-winner and Quinton Byfield collected two assists for the 5-2-2 Kings. John Tavares scored and William Nylander collected an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to a team record nine games for the 5-3-1 Maple Leafs.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has initiated discussions with the NHL Players Association to increase neck protections among its players. The move comes following the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson on Saturday after his neck was accidentally sliced by a skate blade during an EIHL game in England.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there’s a huge level of concern around the NHL about this issue with teams calling league headquarters for direction. Three teams (Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina) have started the process of optional neckguards for their players while the Penguins are making them mandatory for their AHL and ECHL affiliates.

Pierre LeBrun, meanwhile, indicated that cut-resistant gear has been a topic of discussion for the past half-dozen NHL general managers meetings dating back to Evander Kane’s wrist injury last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL cannot implement changes to player equipment without the consent of the NHLPA. However, it sounds like the PA could be receptive to this issue. Teams are already taking action to allow their players the option of wearing cut-resistant gear. This could be something that gets put into practice more quickly than previous changes to equipment policies.

NHL.COM: Paul Stastny has retired after 17 NHL seasons. He had 293 goals and 822 career regular-season points in 1,145 games with the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. He also had 73 points in 118 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stastny’s best seasons were with the Avalanche, including a career-high 79 points in 2009-10. He reportedly sought the guidance of his father, Hall-of-Famer Peter Stastny, before reaching this decision. Stastny told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that he’s interested in returning to hockey one day in a management role.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy received a four-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Monday.

The Bruins also announced that blueliner Matt Grzelcyk will miss “a couple of weeks” with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Bruins center Matthew Poitras and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski won’t be returned to their respective junior teams. Both will remain with their NHL clubs following their nine-game trials with their respective teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means their entry-level contracts now go into effect and will count against their respective teams’ salary-cap payrolls for this season.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury that will keep him off the ice for a little while. Meanwhile. Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov will miss four to six weeks due to a broken finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hits just keep on coming for the struggling Sharks. The absence of Couture has hurt their offense and Barabanov’s absence won’t help.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach underwent successful knee surgery in New York on Tuesday. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be ready to return to action next season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche blueliners Cale Makar and Bowen Byram missed practice on Tuesday and are questionable for Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks center Conor Bedard is off to a promising start with six points in nine games. However, Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig was the rookie points leader for October with seven points in eight contests.

THE SCORE: Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers signed center Sam Gagner to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level and placed forward Adam Erne on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

by | Oct 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

The Capitals defeat the Devils, the league’s teams vote overwhelmingly to decentralize the draft, plus the latest on Brett Pesce and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Alex Ovechkin rallied the Washington Capitals to a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Capitals jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first period but the Devils regrouped in the second with four straight goals.

Washington Capitals forward Dylan Strome (NHL Images).

Strome scored two goals while Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha each had two points for the 2-3-1 Capitals. New Jersey center Jack Hughes collected three assists while Tyler Toffoli tallied twice and collected a helper as the Devils slipped to 3-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes now leads all scorers with 13 assists and 17 points while Toffoli is among the top-10 goal scorers with six.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL’s 32 teams voted overwhelmingly to decentralize the league’s draft format. They prefer moving from the current format where the executives of all the teams gather in one central location to conduct their draft business to one where they remain in their home cities to perform those duties. The change could come as soon as the 2024 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new format will be similar to those employed by the NFL, NBA and MLB. There will still be a host city where the top prospects are chosen with a handful of executives there but we won’t see the arena-style format currently employed in previous drafts.

I understand the rationale behind the change. As the report noted, some general managers didn’t like the crowded draft floor under the current format where their plans could be overheard by their rivals. The cost of traveling to and from the host city has risen over the years plus the draft is scheduled within days of free agency.

My only concern is how long it’ll take the teams to make their selections as they’ll be doing it remotely. When that format was used during the two COVID drafts it took hours for the proceedings to be completed, especially the later rounds. That might not be a big deal for fans but it’s a drag for those of us who cover the NHL for a living. The league must ensure they keep the teams to a tight schedule rather than have this drag out.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The good news for the Hurricanes is sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov’s season debut is “around the corner.” The bad news is defenseman Brett Pesce is sidelined for two to four weeks following surgery for a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant loss for the Hurricanes blueline. Pesce usually skates on the second pairing with Brady Skjei. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon (upper body) has been placed on long-term injury reserve (LTIR). They also recalled forward Jujhar Khaira as forward Frederick Gaudreau will miss Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: The Penguins placed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. They also announced that defenseman John Ludvig suffered a concussion during Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed defenseman Jack Edward to a three-year entry-level contract and placed blueliner Ian Mitchell on waivers.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2023

by | Oct 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2023

An update on the speculation linking Canucks winger Conor Garland to the Predators, pondering the possibility of a contract extension for Devils goalie Akira Schmid, and the latest on the Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST GARLAND CHATTER

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher weighed in on a Saturday report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman linking the Predators to Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland.

Friedman said the Predators were among a handful of teams (including the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets) said to be interested in Garland. The Canucks gave permission last week to the 27-year-old winger’s agent to speak with other clubs regarding a trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Gallagher points out that Garland’s agent Judd Moldaver also represents Predators captain Roman Josi. Friedman also said that the Canucks would want a defenseman in return, prompting Gallagher to suggest that Tyson Barrie, Alex Carrier, Dante Fabbro and Jeremy Lauzon are four NHL-level options who could help the Canucks immediately.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have a pressing need for depth in right-side, right-shot defensemen. Barrie, Carrier and Fabbro could address that issue for them. However, moving one of them could leave the Predators thin on the right side of their blueline unless they’ve got a suitable replacement they can promote from the minors.

Friedman also indicated that the Canucks want to free up between $1 million and $2 million in a Garland trade in order to gain some cap flexibility this season. Barrie’s $4.5 million cap hit it too close to Garland’s $4.95 million. Carrier and Fabbro would be better financial options for the Canucks as they’re each earning $2.5 million on one-year contracts.

IS A NEW CONTRACT IN THE WORKS FOR SCHMID?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating on Monday whether New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is working on a contract extension for Akira Schmid. The 23-year-old goaltender is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky reported Schmid’s agent Allain Roy said contract talks have not started yet. Nichols also got the same story when he spoke with Roy

Nichols acknowledged that things could change quickly. He also suggested that a new contract for Schmid could put an end to the recent talk of Fitzgerald monitoring the goalie trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald doesn’t have to rush into signing Schmid, whose rights belong to the Devils after this season. He could be evaluating the young goalie’s performance over the course of this season before initiating those discussions.

WHICH PLAYERS COULD THE SHARKS MOVE AT THE MARCH TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently listed 10 questions the San Jose Sharks must answer after their season opener. Among them was who GM Mike Grier might move before the March 8 trade deadline.

Stephens noted the Sharks have eight players eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July. They include forwards Alexander Barabanov, Anthony Duclair, Mike Hoffman and Kevin Labanc as well as goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. He believes they could factor into future trade discussions if they perform well this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair and Barabonov would draw the most interest and the best returns for the Sharks. Both indicated their interest in re-signing with the Sharks but they could have more value as trade chips this season.

Hoffman is a one-dimensional 33-year-old scoring forward whose production has been in decline over the last three seasons. Labanc, 27, has struggled since reaching a career-best 56 points in 2018-19 and was a healthy scratch in their first two games of this season.

Once considered a future starting goalie, the 27-year-old Kahkonen has had difficulty filling that role with the Sharks and the Minnesota Wild before them.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 26, 2023

by | Sep 26, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – September 26, 2023

Check out the latest on the Wild, Kraken and Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT WILL THE WILD DO WITH FOLIGNO, ZUCCARELLO AND HARTMAN?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith pointed out that the Minnesota Wild have three key forwards – Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman – slated to become unrestricted free agents next summer. They wonder if management will be patient or attempt to re-sign the trio as soon as possible.

Foligno, 32, is in the final season of a three-year contract earning an average annual value of $3.1 million. Russo and Smith are betting the Wild offer him the same contract again.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello (NHL Images).

The 36-year-old Zuccarello is in the final year of a five-year deal with an AAV of $6 million. General manager Bill Guerin would likely sign him for two or three years but he’ll have to accept a pay cut.

Hartman, meanwhile, is in the last season of his three-year contract with an AAV of $1.7 million. If the Wild can’t re-sign the 28-year-old center/winger, he could become a valuable trade chip at the March 8 trade deadline.

Russo and Smith get the feeling that Wild management has at least started contract talks with those three to determine the cost of re-signing them. They could be willing to extend their contracts now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Russo and Smith also point out, the Wild’s salary-cap space for next season will also be a determining factor in negotiations with those three players. They have $24.6 million in projected cap space for next season with 12 players under contract.

Guerin will also have to find suitable replacements for goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and defenseman Alex Goligoski. Both are also due to become UFAs and it’s expected they won’t be offered new contracts.

LATEST KRAKEN SPECULATION

THE SEATTLE TIMES: In a recent mailbag segment, Geoff Baker was asked what type of contract Kraken center Matty Beniers will get once he comes off his entry-level deal next summer.

Baker pointed out that a two- or three-year bridge contract would leave Beniers primed for a big raise before hitting the open market if he chose to do so. If the Kraken believes he’ll become a star player, it might be best to lock him up to an eight-year deal where they’ll get a cheaper back-end deal on some of his UFA seasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beniers won the Calder Memorial Trophy last season as NHL Rookie of the Year. If he builds on that during his sophomore campaign, he could take a page from the playbook of Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and push for a lucrative short-term contract that expires when he’s a year or two away from UFA eligibility.

Asked about Jordan Eberle, Baker indicated the 33-year-old winger would love to re-sign with the Kraken. “I’ve made my stance clear as far as I love it here,” said Eberle. “I want to be here. And I want to be part of a winning group. I think we have one here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not surprising that Eberle would like to stay. The Kraken surprised everyone last season with their solid performance in just their second NHL season. He’s also at the stage in his career when he’d prefer the stability of a winning club over the uncertainty of the UFA market.

However, if the Kraken stumbles through this campaign Eberle could become a bargaining chip by the March 8 trade deadline. That will depend on the status of his contract negotiations by then. He’s in the final season of a five-year deal with an annual cap hit of $5.5 million.

The Kraken has over $27 million in projected cap space for 2024-25 with 14 players under contract and Beniers in line for a substantial pay raise. Given his age, he’ll likely have to accept a pay cut to stay in Seattle.

BARABANOV HOPES TO REMAIN WITH THE SHARKS

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng reports Alexander Barabanov hopes to re-sign with the Sharks. The 29-year-old winger is in the second season of a two-year contract ($2.5 million AAV) and is slated to become a UFA next July.

He’s been very productive for the Sharks since they acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs in April 2021, netting 93 points in 147 games. On the one hand, his age and his next contract might not fit with the Sharks’ rebuild plans, making him a potential trade candidate by the March 8 deadline. On the other hand, it’s always good to keep a few veterans around to lead the way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have over $36 million in projected cap space for 2024-25 with 14 active roster players under contract. Depending on Barabanov’s asking price, they can easily afford to re-sign him if they see him as a key piece going forward.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

by | Aug 1, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – August 1, 2023

The top remaining unrestricted free agents, Sharks speculation that has nothing to do with Erik Karlsson, and the latest on the Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TOP REMAINING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

DAILY FACEOFF: Patrick Kane and Matt Dumba sit first and second on Frank Seravalli’s list of the top remaining NHL unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane won’t be entertaining contract offers until he’s recovered from his recent hip surgery. That’s expected to be sometime in early December. Dumba, meanwhile, is the top defenseman in the market and has been linked to the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Forwards Max Comtois, Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Toews sit in positions three through five on the listing.

Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Comtois recently said that he’s received calls from interested clubs but no contract offers yet. He indicated that the Montreal Canadiens have not contacted him. There’s been no rumors of late linking Tatar to any NHL club but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t received any calls.

Toews, meanwhile, has been silent except for releasing a statement in response to the recent death of Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz. The agency that represents him did not have his name on their list of clients who are free agents this summer, fuelling speculation that he’s mulling retirement.

Forward Pius Suter, winger Noah Gregor, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, center Paul Stastny and winger Phil Kessel rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Suter said he doesn’t intend on returning to his native Switzerland and hopes to sign an NHL contract. Kessel, 35, has indicated he wants to continue his NHL career. So does the 38-year-old Halak. No word on Stastny or Gregor.

UPDATE ON THE SHARKS

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those of you who are weary of all the speculation about Erik Karlsson, here’s the latest on the San Jose Sharks that has nothing to do with the 33-year-old defenseman. Enjoy!

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng observed that Sharks general manager Mike Grier has been pursuing devalued assets this summer that still appear to possess real upside. He’s acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and wingers Anthony Duclair and Filip Zadina and made a failed attempt at signing Vladimir Tarasenko.

Peng listed defenseman Matt Dumba, winger Tomas Tatar and winger Max Comtois as three free agents that he believes Grier should target.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks have over $5 million in projected cap space for 2023-24. They will have more if they somehow manage to trade a certain expensive Norris Trophy-winning defenseman this summer. That will give Grier more room to perhaps add a free agent or two such as those listed by Peng.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller wondered if the Sharks might consider trading Alexander Barabanov. The 29-year-old winger has been a good player, netting 93 points in 147 games. However, he could become the odd man out among their top-six forwards with the additions of Duclair and Zadina and with promising William Eklund expected to crack the lineup this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller suggested that Barabanov, who is slated to become a UFA next July, could be an enticing target for playoff contenders at the March trade deadline. He carries an affordable $2.5 million cap hit but his 10-team no-trade clause could affect the number of possible trade partners for the Sharks.

LATEST ON THE OILERS

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins reported on Sunday that he’d heard the Oilers were closing in on new contracts with defenseman Evan Bouchard and center Ryan McLeod. The latter has an arbitration hearing on Aug. 4.

Leavins believes the goalposts have been slightly moved in terms of what it might cost to sign them. That leads him to conclude that the Oilers might have to go the professional tryout offer (PTO) route to add a center or two rather than signing UFAs. He also doesn’t rule out an in-season trade, suggesting Washington’s Nic Dowd and Montreal’s Jake Evans as possible trade options.

Robert Tychowski, meanwhile, believes the Oilers have dodged a “potential grenade” of an offer sheet for Bouchard. If it was going to happen, he thinks it would’ve by now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed regarding the Bouchard offer sheet. There aren’t many teams with the cap space to pull it off. It also remains a rarely-used tactic that most general managers tend to avoid.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 7, 2022

by | Apr 7, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – April 7, 2022

An update on Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk and some Sharks trade candidates in today’s NHL rumor mill.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty reports Jake DeBrusk’s performance has improved since the trade deadline passed. The Boston Bruins winger has exceeded the 20-goal plateau this season and remains on the top line alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

DeBrusk, 25, has not rescinded the trade request he made earlier this season. It’s difficult to know if his recent improvement will carry over into the playoffs or what the future holds despite signing a two-year contract extension before the March 21 trade deadline.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes DeBrusk has made himself too invaluable for the Bruins to trade in the offseason unless his performance tumbles in the postseason. If other general managers come calling this summer, Bruins GM Don Sweeney would set the price higher than it was before the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed DeBrusk and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t see eye-to-eye. The winger’s trade request seemed borne out of frustration over his usage on the Bruins’ checking lines rather than as a scorer.

However, DeBrusk’s performance has gotten better since being moved onto the top line with Marchand and Bergeron in mid-February. His production remains streaky as he’ll go on stretches without scoring but he has 14 goals and 19 points in 22 games over that period.

Earlier in his career, DeBrusk showed he could step up in postseason play. If he regains that form in this year’s playoffs, he could indeed make himself too valuable to trade. Then again, he could also improve his value, perhaps to the point where a rival GM is willing to overpay for his services.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka recently reported the San Jose Sharks could be forced to make one or two cost-cutting moves to free up salary-cap space to re-sign Alexander Barabanov. The 27-year-old winger has developed solid chemistry this season with linemates Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier. However, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Pashelka observes the Sharks have $70.1 million invested in 16 players for 2022-23 with restricted free agent Mario Ferraro and Kaapo Kahkonen to re-sign. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap space for 2023-24 to sign Meier to a contract extension.

The Sharks could over $2 million in savings by trading James Reimer or Adin Hill this summer as they won’t need three goaltenders with Kahkonen in the fold. They could try shopping winger Kevin Labanc and his $4.725 million contract or defenseman Radim Simek and his $2.25 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks will have an easier time finding trade partners Reimer or Hill and for Simek than they will for Labanc, who’s signed through 2023-24. The 26-year-old winger’s production has plummeted from his career-high of 56 points in 2018-19. He missed five games with COVID-19 last fall and has been sidelined with a dislocated shoulder since Jan. 2.