NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2023

by | Dec 3, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2023

Recaps of Saturday’s action, the Predators allow Tyson Barrie to speak with other clubs, Nikita Zadorov faces the Flames days after they trade him to the Canucks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 38 shots while Adam Fox picked up three assists as the Rangers (17-4-1) sit atop the Eastern Conference with 35 points. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators as they dropped to 11-12-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie was a healthy scratch from this game. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the 32-year-old defenseman has been granted permission to speak with other teams. The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode indicated that Barrie had become somewhat expendable in part because young Spencer Stastney has garnered more playing time of late on the Predators’ blueline. I’ll have more about Barrie in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

The Vancouver Canucks nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3 with former Flame Nikita Zadorov burning his former club by assisting on Elias Pettersson’s winning goal. Pettersson, Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty each had a goal and an assist for the 16-8-1 Canucks. Elias Lindholm scored twice as the Flames dropped to 10-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zadorov was paired with Tyler Myers on the Canucks’ blueline. Before this game, the Flames signed free-agent defenseman Mark Pysyk to a one-year, two-way contract.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists as the Golden Knights (16-5-4) held first place in the overall standings with 36 points. Tom Wilson replied for the 12-7-2 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand’s overtime goal lifted his club over the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3. David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists while Linus Ullmark stopped 37 shots as the Bruins (16-4-3) sit second in the Eastern Conference with 35 points. Auston Matthews had two goals for the 12-6-4 Leafs as they overcame an early 2-0 deficit.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped an eight-game losing skid by upsetting the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in a shootout with rookie Leo Carlsson scoring the game-winner. Carlsson and Alex Killorn each had a goal and an assist in regulation time while John Gibson made 34 saves for the 10-14-0 Ducks. Bowen Byram scored twice for the Avalanche (15-6-2), who sit in first place in the Central Division with 32 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar left the game just before the end of regulation and didn’t take part in the overtime or the shootout. Following the game, Avs head coach Jared Bednar said Makar was “dealing with something” but offered little other information. Makar logged 25:03 of ice time before leaving this contest.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists, Jason Robertson scored twice and Jake Oettinger stopped 32 shots in an 8-1 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pavelski extended his points streak to nine games while the Stars improved their record to 14-5-3. Andrei Vasilevskiy got the hook following the second period after giving up six goals on 25 shots as the Lightning dropped to 10-10-5 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist to become the first player to reach the 40-point plateau this season.

The Winnipeg Jets downed the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Morgan Barron snapped a 1-1 tie while Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti also scored for the 13-8-2 Jets. Blackhawks center Connor Bedard netted his 11th goal to set a franchise record for rookies with an eight-game points streak. The Blackhawks’ record slipped to 7-15-0.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 42 saves to hold off the Florida Panthers by a score of 4-3. Sorokin made 17 stops in the third period, Julien Gauthier scored what proved to be the game-winner while Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each collected two assists as the Islanders improved their record to 10-7-6. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the 14-8-2 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles center Mathew Barzal missed this game with an illness and is listed as day-to-day.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho netted two goals in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Tuevo Teravainen had a goal and an assist while Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas each had two assists for the Hurricanes (14-8-1). Casey Mittelstadt and Tyson Jost replied for the slumping Sabres as their record fell to 10-12-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres winger Jordan Greenway left this game following the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.

An overtime goal by Jake Walman gave the Detroit Red Wings a 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens after the latter overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to force the extra frame. Walman, Alex DeBrincat and Daniel Sprong each had a goal and an assist as the Red Wings rose to 13-7-3 on the season. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for the 10-11-3 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced forward Alex Newhook will be sidelined for 10-12 weeks with a high-ankle sprain.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg turned in a 39-save shutout as his club ended a three-game losing skid by beating the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Mathieu Joseph and Drake Batherson were the goal scorers for the Senators, who sit in last place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9-10-0. Joey Daccord turned aside 26 shots for the 8-11-6 Kraken.

A shootout goal by Sean Couturier gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Samuel Ersson made 26 saves while Tyson Foerster had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (12-10-2). Jake Guentzel tallied two goals for the 11-10-2 Penguins.

Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Kerfoot had a goal and two assists as his club defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1. Connor Ingram stopped 31 shots while Lawson Crouse collected two assists as the Coyotes (12-9-2) hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 26 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ingram’s solid goaltending is a key reason why the Coyotes are in this position right now. He’s among the league leaders with 10 wins, a .926 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced forward Travis Boyd will be sidelined for weeks with an upper-body injury.










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.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 27, 2023

by | Aug 27, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 27, 2023

A look at some of the teams in the Central Division heading into the 2023-24 season in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon recently looked at the biggest unanswered question for each team in the NHL’s Central Division.

Among the notables was whether the Colorado Avalanche could figure out a contract extension for Devon Toews before the start of the season. The 29-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Given the Avalanche’s limited salary-cap space, Dixon wondered if Toews and fellow blueliner Samuel Girard would still be with the club in a year’s time.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Toews skates on the Avalanche’s top defense pairing with superstar Cale Makar. He’s due for a significant raise over the $4.1 million average annual value of his current contract. The Avs, however, have just $10.7 million in cap space for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract.

They could get an additional $7 million in cap relief if captain Gabriel Landeskog remains sidelined in 2024-25 by his ongoing (and potentially career-threatening) knee injury. That could help them clear enough space to re-sign Toews.

If Landeskog returns, however, the Avs will have to shed salary if they hope to re-sign Toews. Girard could become a trade candidate. The 25-year-old rearguard carries an AAV of $5 million through 2026-27.

Dixon noted that the Dallas Stars could use some blue-line help for stud defenseman Miro Heiskanen. If they wanted to go after someone like the Calgary Flames’ Noah Hanifin they have a couple of prospect forwards that could help get a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf also recently pointed to the Stars’ need to bolster their defense corps, especially on the right side. However, he suggested the Carolina Hurricanes’ Brett Pesce, the Nashville Predators’ Tyson Barrie, Arizona Coyotes’ Matt Dumba or Hanifin’s teammate Chris Tanev as more likely targets should they become available before the March trade deadline.

Dixon also pondered whether goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and/or center Mark Scheifele would still be with the Winnipeg Jets in a month’s time. Like Toews, both are due to become UFAs next July.

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will be patient and won’t rush into trading either guy simply for the sake of closure. Dixon noted that Cheveldayoff held firm on his asking price for Pierre-Luc Dubois and pretty much got what he wanted from the Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Starting the season with Hellebuyck and Scheifele in the lineup runs the risk of injuries or a decline in performance affecting their trade value. Nevertheless, recent reports suggest Cheveldayoff could be comfortable with doing so in the hope of either re-signing one or both or finding better trade offers as the season goes on.










Notable NHL Trades – February 28, 2023

by | Feb 28, 2023

Notable NHL Trades – February 28, 2023

Several NHL teams decided to avoid the rush of the trade deadline on March 3 and made a series of notable moves today.

The biggest, of course, was Patrick Kane being shipped by the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers in a three-team deal involving the Arizona Coyotes. You can read my take on that deal by following this link.

Here’s my brief analysis of the other noteworthy deals that went down on Feb. 28, 2023:

Nashville Predators trade defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Tyson Barrie, prospect winger Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. The Predators are also retaining $250K of Ekholm’s $6.25 million cap hit through 2025-26.

Edmonton Oilers trade winger Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for prospect Patrik Puistola.

Nashville Predators trade Mattias Ekholm to the Edmonton Oilers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers GM Ken Holland was under pressure to make a move to shore up the left side of his blueline. Ekholm should address that need as the 32-year-old is a veteran shutdown blueliner who helped the Predators reach the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. His physical style and leadership should make him a welcome addition to the Oilers’ defense corps.

Oilers’ fans might balk at parting with a first-round pick but at least it’s not wasted on a rental player. Holland addressed his left-side blueline issue. If the move helps them at least return to the Western Conference Final it’ll be worthwhile. The future is now for the Oilers while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in their prime.

The Predators, meanwhile, get a skilled mobile defenseman in Barrie, who’s signed through next season at a cap hit of $4.5 million. Schaefer, 19, is a promising left winger who was ranked fourth among the Oilers’ top prospects by The Athletic. It’s a solid package that addresses their short-term needs while stocking up the prospect pipeline.

Puljujarvi, 24, was a fixture in the NHL rumor mill stretching back to last season. The fourth-overall pick in the 2016 draft never played up to expectations in Edmonton. His trade value was so low that the Hurricanes did the Oilers a favor by taking his $3 million cap hit off their hands. A restricted free agent in July, Puljujarvi could become a reclamation project for the Hurricanes.

Toronto Maple Leafs trade defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals in exchange for defenseman Erik Gustafsson and the 2023 first-round pick that the Capitals acquired from the Boston Bruins.

New York Islanders acquire forward Pierre Engvall from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2024 third-round pick.

Toronto Maple Leafs acquire defenseman Luke Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a third-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he would remain active leading up to the trade deadline after acquiring Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty on Monday from the Chicago Blackhawks. In response to recent moves by other Eastern Conference teams, he’s loading up with experienced blueline depth for the postseason.

Gustafsson is a playmaking defenseman while Schenn returns to the team where his long NHL career began. He’ll provide some grit along with a championship resume from his two Stanley Cup runs with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both are rental players as they’re slated to become unrestricted free agents in July.

Dubas has also regained a first-round pick in this year’s draft. However, he could use it as a trade chip to further boost his lineup before Friday’s deadline.

The Capitals were looking for a quick turnaround after acquiring that first-rounder from Boston as part of the deal that sent Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Bruins. They wasted little time using it to bring in Sandin.

The 22-year-old Sandin is a puck-moving defenseman who is in his second full NHL season. He’s shown promise this season with 20 points in 52 games. If Sandin continues his development he could turn into a reliable top-four rearguard for the Capitals.

Trading Engvall and his $2.25 million cap hit to the Islanders for a draft pick was a cost-cutting move by the Leafs. A pending UFA this summer, the 26-year-old winger became expendable following the Leafs’ acquisition of Lafferty. He will provide some much-needed checking-line depth to the injury-depleted Isles forward lines.

The Canucks were originally said to be seeking a second-round draft pick for Schenn. Given the glut of defensemen in the trade market they evidently decided to move now while they could still get something for the 33-year-old blueliner.

Minnesota Wild acquire forward Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johanson is returning to the Wild for the second time having played for them during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. A versatile if oft-injured forward, he’ll bring some experienced depth as a middle-six forward to the Wild.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 14, 2022

by | Sep 14, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 14, 2022

An update on Jason Robertson’s contract talks with the Stars plus the latest on the Canadiens and Oilers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON JASON ROBERTSON

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Matthew DeFranks reports Stars general manager Jim Nill remains hopeful that Jason Robertson will be at training camp when it opens next week. Contract negotiations continue between Stars management and the 23-year-old restricted free agent winger.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (NHL Images)

Robertson is coming off his entry-level contract and a career-best 41 goals and 79 points in 74 games. Nill indicated he’s in constant communication with the winger’s representatives. The club has around $7.2 million in salary cap room depending on the final roster makeup.

DeFranks suggests that means a long-term contract is off the table, speculating Robertson could get an average annual value of $7 million on a three or four-year deal. The Stars can create more cap room for the coming season by carrying a smaller roster or trading players such as goaltender Anton Khudobin ($3.33 million) or forward Radek Faksa ($3.25 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The bridge deal seems the most likely option here. How much Robertson gets could depend on whether Nill can find a taker for Khudobin or Faksa.

Their respective AAVs aren’t that expensive. Nevertheless, it’ll be difficult finding a trade partner at this time of year when most clubs have limited cap room.

UPDATES ON THE CANADIENS AND OILERS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy cites TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reporting Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson is garnering interest in the trade market as training camp approaches. Lavoie claimed there’s a lot of interest around the league for a blueliner like him.

Lavoie doubts Edmundson, 29, will be traded now but thinks the 6’5”, 229-pound rearguard is drawing some attractive offers and could garner more as the season progresses. He missed most of 2021-22 with a back injury but can bolster his trade stock with a healthy, productive season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Murphy suggested, it’d doubtful he’ll be moved before the 2023 trade deadline. Unless the Canadiens get a mind-blowing offer they’re not trading Edmundson now. They recently made him an alternate captain and value his experience and leadership among their young blueliners.

TSN’s John Lu took to Twitter reporting Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen admitted he’s “had communication” with management regarding a contract extension. However, he offered no further comment on the subject.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given Carey Price’s uncertain future and the ongoing development of Cayden Primeau, it’s unsurprising the Canadiens are interested in discussing a new contract with Allen. They’ll need some veteran stability in goal beyond this season if Price’s career is over and Primeau isn’t ready for prime time.

Lu’s colleague Ryan Rishaug tweeted on Monday that he thinks the Edmonton Oilers are waiting to hear an answer from winger Jake Virtanen regarding a professional tryout offer.

He also indicated they’re exploring all cost-cutting trade options for winger Jesse Puljujarvi. They can still start the coming season with what they have if they don’t move Puljujarvi but it could create salary-cap complications later in the season.

Rishaug doesn’t see Tyson Barrie as a trade candidate. He expects the Oilers will start this season with what they’ve got on their blueline and see how things go.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, avoiding arbitration with Puljujarvi by signing him in July to a one-year, $3 million contract provides cost certainty when attempting to trade him. It seems no team wanted to take on an unsigned restricted free agent with consistency issues with arbitration rights.

On the other hand, most teams have limited salary-cap space. Puljujarvi’s $3 million cap hit is a tight squeeze for many clubs right now.










NHL Rumor Mill – September 2, 2022

by | Sep 2, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – September 2, 2022

Some potential trade destinations for Patrick Kane and how the Canadiens can add a defenseman in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Mike Stephens took a look at four possible landing spots for Patrick Kane and what it might cost to acquire him from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Buffalo Sabres are Kane’s childhood team and already have some quality talent on their rebuilding roster. They also have plenty of salary-cap space and have a stockpile of prospects to tempt the Blackhawks.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If there is a mutual interest in Kane and the Sabres, I think the latter would prefer waiting until next summer to sign him as an unrestricted free agent. They wouldn’t have to part with any players or prospects to get him and the annual cap hit would be lower than his current $10.5 million.

Stephens also suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs as a destination. He acknowledged it would take some financial wizardry for the cap-strapped Leafs to pull it off. Adding Kane would give the Leafs a formidable top-six formation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has proven adept at salary-cap wizardry in the past. Adding Kane, however, could prove beyond his powers. It would require shedding considerable salary while requiring the Blackhawks to retain half of his average annual value. A three-team trade would significantly reduce the Leafs’ share of his AAV but finding a team willing to do it is easier said than done.

The Detroit Red Wings are another club with promising prospects that could be attractive trade bait. They would have to free up a bit of cap room but it wouldn’t be a daunting task. Kane alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond would be a tantalizing combination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has avoided pursuing big-ticket talent, preferring to acquire depth veterans to augment his rising young stars. He could surprise us with a major move by acquiring someone like Kane, but I don’t

Stephens thinks the Colorado Avalanche adding Kane would be the kind of move we’d expect them to make. Adding the 33-year-old winger would push the defending Stanley Cup champions back to the top of the heap. It would require the difficult task of trying to shed Erik Johnson’s $6 million cap hit plus the Avs only have four total picks in the next two drafts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche management has shown creativity before landing quality talent. However, their lack of draft picks and Johnson’s cap hit could put acquiring Kane out of reach.

THE ATHLETIC: Marc Antoine Godin examined how the Montreal Canadiens could acquire a right-side defenseman. They’ll garner salary-cap flexibility with Carey Price expected to be on long-term injury reserve this season, plus they have depth in forwards to dangle as trade bait.

Godin suggests a trade before the start of the season targeting clubs that could be willing to swap a defenseman for a forward (such as Joel Armia) whose contract runs into 2024-25 when the salary cap is expected to significantly rise. The Edmonton Oilers’ Tyson Barrie or the Winnipeg Jets’ Dylan DeMelo could be options under that scenario.

Another could be using their cap flexibility for a temporary short-term fix. Godin suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Justin Holl or the Ottawa Senators’ Travis Hamonic. He also thinks it would be worthwhile keeping an eye on the Carolina Hurricanes, who have five right-side defensemen.

Godin also suggested they could keep an eye on the waiver wire or sign an unrestricted free agent such as Anton Stralman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bear in mind that Godin is merely making suggestions here. He’s not saying the Canadiens are targeting those defensemen. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising if Habs GM Kent Hughes were to land one of those blueliners or another right-shot rearguard. He’s done a good job thus far addressing his rebuilding club’s needs.