NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2024

by | Aug 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 21, 2024

The Flyers intend to terminate Ryan Johansen’s contract, the Kraken signed Matty Beniers to a seven-year contract, concerns are raised over Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko’s readiness for this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers announced Tuesday they were placing center Ryan Johansen on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract due to a “material breach.”

Johansen, 32, was acquired by the Flyers from the Colorado Avalanche on March 6. He was placed on waivers to be sent to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. However, he missed the remainder of the season with a hip injury despite playing his final game with the Avs two days before the trade.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Johansen (NHL Images).

Kurt Overhardt, Johansen’s agent, released a statement claiming his client has a severe hockey injury and is scheduled for surgery. He indicated his client has been working “in good faith” with the club, its medical staff, and authorized third-party physicians.

Calling the Flyers’ move “disappointing,”, Overhardt stated he’s been in contact with the NHL Players’ Association to defend his client and his rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Johansen camp intends to contest the contract termination by filing a grievance. This will drag out for several weeks before a decision is reached.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Flyers’ termination of Johansen’s contract could create additional salary cap space for the Nashville Predators. They retained half his $8 million contract when they traded him to the Colorado Avalanche last summer.

Johansen is in the final year of his eight-year contract. If a mediator rules in favor of the Flyers, it will clear $4 million from the Predators’ books for 2024-25.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed Matty Beniers to a seven-year, $50 million contract. Beniers, 21, was a restricted free agent. The average annual value is $7.142 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Beniers won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2022-23 with 24 goals and 57 points in 80 games, helping the Kraken reach the playoffs in their NHL second season. However, he followed up with a disappointing sophomore performance, netting 37 points in 77 games.

The Kraken are betting that Beniers’ 20-point slide last season was merely a blip in his development.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the lack of offseason news about Thatcher Demko has raised media speculation over the health of the Vancouver Canucks goaltender,

Demko, 28, played in Game 1 of the Canucks’ first-round series before being sidelined by a lower-body injury. He missed the remainder of that series and the entirety of their second-round matchup with the Edmonton Oilers but was reportedly close to returning to action before that series ended.

On July 1, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin claimed Demko would be ready for training camp. However, CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Tuesday that the netminder is progressing but there’s no timetable for when he’ll be 100 percent healthy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston suggested the Canucks could end this speculation by publishing a statement about Demko’s health. Meanwhile, Dhaliwal speculated they might “continue to poke around the goalie market again” seeking insurance between the pipes.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said limited salary cap space was why his club opted not to match the offer sheets signed last week by Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway with the St. Louis Blues.

Bowman said the decision wasn’t reflective of Broberg and Holloway but rather concerns over the club’s short and long-term salary cap flexibility. The Oilers must ensure they have sufficient cap space to re-sign Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard next summer and Connor McDavid in 2026.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Over the weekend, the Oilers acquired winger Vasily Podkolzin from the Canucks and shipped defenseman Cody Ceci to San Jose for blueliner Ty Emberson. Those moves were to address the imminent departures of Broberg and Holloway.

SPORTSNET: Blues GM Doug Armstrong dismissed the belief that he wouldn’t have signed Broberg and Holloway to offer sheets if his friend Ken Holland remained as Oilers general manager.

Armstrong claimed that was the furthest from the truth. “Honestly, I’d do it to my mother if she was managing the Oilers.”

He also laughed off the notion that there was an agreement among general managers not to target each other’s players with offer sheets. “I’ve read what people are writing – if there is a GM code not to do offer sheets, nobody emailed it to me.” He added that offer sheets are a tool everyone uses, “and should use.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General managers rarely share their true intentions about trades or player signings with friendly pundits. Most trades and free-agent signings take place that media insiders never see coming.

Offer sheet signings are few and far between in the salary cap era. Most general managers prefer not to use that tool as Armstrong suggests. There could be more efforts to go that route but restricted free agents seem to favor negotiating with their clubs.

TSN: At the same time it was confirmed the Oilers wouldn’t match the offer sheets for Broberg and Holloway, the Blues traded prospect defenseman Paul Fischer and a 2028 third-round pick to the Oilers for future considerations.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights signed free-agent forward Tanner Pearson to a professional tryout offer. An 11-season NHL veteran, the 32-year-old winger had 13 points in 54 games last season with the Montreal Canadiens.

CBC.CA: Allan Andrews, the founder of Andrews Hockey School in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, passed away on Monday at age 83.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, and former NHL star (and PEI native) Brad Richards are among the graduates of Andrews Hockey School.

Following the news of Andrews’ death, Crosby and Richards praised the impact he and his hockey school had on their lives and careers.

Andrews was awarded the Order of Canada in 2017 and inducted into the PEI Hall of Fame in 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Andrews’ family, friends, colleagues, and the staff and alumni of his hockey school.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 15, 2024

by | Aug 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 15, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on John Tavares, more speculation over how the Oilers will counter the offer sheets to Broberg and Holloway, and some suggested offer-sheet targets for the Flyers.

LATEST ON TAVARES

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said that John Tavares no longer wearing the captaincy won’t affect his contract talks. The 33-year-old center is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Treliving said any talk about Tavares’ contract status will remain behind closed doors. He also believes the veteran center still has plenty of good hockey left in him. Tavares indicated his desire to stay but also said those discussions are private.

Toronto Maple Leafs captains John Tavares (NHL Images).

During his “32 Thoughts Podcast” on Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman felt that a contract extension for Tavares could remain in play. He thinks it’s been discussed and is something both sides are considering.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tavares turns 34 next month and it’s clear that his best seasons are behind him. He could be effective as a middle-six forward if that’s a role he’s willing to accept to remain with the Leafs. He must also accept a shorter deal and a significant pay cut from his $11 million annual cap hit.

HOW WILL THE OILERS COUNTER THE OFFER SHEETS FOR BROBERG AND HOLLOWAY?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson looked at how the Oilers could counter the offer sheets signed by defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway with the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers have seven days from the date the contracts were signed (Tuesday) to match. Otherwise, both players will belong to the Blues.

The offer sheets push the Oilers above the $88 million cap by over $7.5 million. They could get some cap relief by placing winger Evander Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve if he requires surgery for a sports hernia. However, there’s no guarantee Kane would miss the entire season, meaning the Oilers would have to free up cap room for his return.

Trading defenseman Cody Ceci ($3.5 million) or blueliner Brett Kulak ($2.75 million through 2025-26) are other options. Trading either one could mean attaching a sweetener to the deal.

Broberg has the higher ceiling talent-wise but Holloway’s offer sheet is the easiest to match. Matheson speculates the Oilers will keep Holloway and let Broberg go.

Matheson also brought up the possibility of retribution by the Oilers against the Blues by signing winger Jake Neighbours next summer when he’s a restricted free agent.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much of Matheson’s piece on the Oilers’ options is a rehash of what he wrote the previous day but it’s still worthwhile to review them.

The Oilers could attempt to sign Neighbours next summer to an offer sheet but that’s unlikely. Neighbours would have to be willing to sign it and he could prefer staying in St. Louis.

More importantly, the Oilers lack the cap space to pull it off. They’ll open the vault to re-sign Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, leaving little money to pursue Neighbours, whose stock will rise if he builds on last season’s promising performance.

Matheson’s colleague David Staples believes the Oilers have a trump card if Kane ends up on LTIR. He cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying the 32-year-old winger could be sidelined for months if he undergoes surgery for his sports hernia and/or hip issues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are over the cap by $7.225 million. Kane’s cap hit is $5.125 million. The Oilers would still be over the cap by $2.1 million, meaning a trade of Ceci or Kulak to make the dollars work if they hope to retain Broberg and Holloway.

THREE SUGGESTED OFFER SHEET CANDIDATES FOR THE FLYERS

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Blues signing Broberg and Holloway to offer sheets prompted Jonathan Bailey to look at offer sheet targets that could benefit the Flyers in the short and long term. He felt the Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers, the New Jersey Devils’ Dawson Mercer, or the Winnipeg Jets’ Cole Perfetti could fit the bill.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A retooling club like the Flyers could go the offer sheet route with one of those three, but it’s unlikely they will.

Beniers, Mercer and Perfetti would have to be receptive to an offer sheet, and it would have to be expensive to pique their interest. The Kraken, Devils and Jets also have more salary cap space to match such offers than the Oilers have with Broberg and Holloway.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

by | Jul 31, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 31, 2024

A look at the remaining notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox and Rory Boylen updated their list of the notable remaining restricted free agents following the signings of Carolina Hurricanes winger Martin Necas on Monday and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren on Tuesday.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman still tops the list. He’s coming off a one-year, $3.45 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nothing new to report on his contract negotiations. Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis cited AFP Analytics projecting the 25-year-old goaltender is in line for a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6.433 million. However, some recent media speculation suggests he could get around $9 million annually depending on the length of the deal.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and winger Lucas Raymond sit second and third on their list. They speculate Seider could get an AAV of $8.6 million on a long-term deal but Raymond could get a mid-term commitment akin to teammate Alex DeBrincat’s four-year contract.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been over a month since Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said he’d get Seider and Raymond signed “in due time.” There’s been nothing new since then but plenty of time remains to get both players under contract before the start of training camp in mid-September. AFP Analytics projects Seider getting a seven-year deal with an AAV of $8.125 million and Raymond seven years at $7.758 million annually.

Seth Jarvis is the focus for Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky now that Martin Necas is under contract. The versatile 22-year-old forward can play center or wing and has risen among the Hurricanes’ core players. He’s coming off an entry-level contract and there’s speculation he could get an eight-year deal worth around $8 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $7.75 million annually for Jarvis. Unless Tulsky makes a cost-cutting move, the Jarvis camp will have to accept much less than that because the Hurricanes only have $6.44 million in cap space.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could attempt to sign defenseman Thomas Harley to a bridge contract. That’s what he did with Jason Robertson when the winger came off his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Harley is projected to get a seven-year deal with an AAV of $6.922 million. However, the Stars have $6.243 million in cap space. The 22-year-old blueliner could end up with a short-term contract worth under $5 million annually.

Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers’ sophomore slump compromises his bargaining position coming off his entry-level contract. The betting is the 21-year-old center gets a bridge deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projects a seven-year deal worth $6.66 million annually. The Kraken have the hammer here so it could be much shorter and for around $5 million annually.

Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti seems a classic case for a bridge deal after a healthy but inconsistent 2023-24 performance under former head coach Rick Bowness. However, the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck recently reported positive communication between the Perfetti camp and new Jets bench boss Scott Arniel. That could sway Perfetti into signing a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The projection has Perfetti in line for a seven-year deal with an AAV of $5.584 million. That could become a real bargain for the Jets if he blossoms into the scorer he was projected to become when the Jets drafted him in 2020.

The New Jersey Devils could go the bridge route with Dawson Mercer. Comparables include Ottawa’s Shane Pinto (two-year, $3.75 million AAV) and Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko (three years, $3.85 million AAV).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: AFP Analytics projected a six-year deal at $6.52 million annually. However, the Devils only have $4.9 million in cap space. Mercer will likely get a bridge deal unless the Devils shed some salary.

Cole Sillinger enjoyed a bounce-back performance from his 2022-23 sophomore slump with 13 goals and 32 points in 77 games. Like teammate Kirill Marchenko, he could get a three-year deal.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

by | Mar 25, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 25, 2024

A look at some of this summer’s notable restricted free agents in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the latest rumors and reports regarding this summer’s top-12 restricted free agents.

The Vancouver Canucks recently offered an eight-year, $52-million contract extension ($6.5 million average annual value) to Filip Hronek. However, the 26-year-old defenseman’s camp rejected that proposal. Fox believes the Canucks want to keep Hronek’s salary below Quinn Hughes’ $7.85 million AAV but the blueline could try to push it into the $7 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hronek is completing a three-year deal with an AAV of $4.4 million. He’s enjoying a career-high performance in his contract year with 45 points in 71 games. Hronek has arbitration rights and is a year away from UFA eligibility. It could cost the Canucks between $7 million and $7.5 million annually to keep him in the fold.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (NHL Images).

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider is completing his entry-level contract. Fox doubted that Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would attempt to lowball the 23-year-old blueliner. He speculated Seider could get an eight-year deal worth $8.6 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seider is the Wings’ best defenseman and a key piece of their rebuilding roster, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22. He’s yet to reach his playing prime. A long-term deal at $8.6 million AAV could become a bargain over time.

The Buffalo Sabres trading Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche earlier this month was based on the belief they would be unable to re-sign him to a long-term extension. Following the trade, the 25-year-old center pointed out how much the Avalanche wanted him by giving up defenseman Bowen Byram in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mittelstadt seems to be settling in well as the Avalanche’s second-line center. A strong performance over the rest of the regular season and in the 2024 playoffs will ensure he’ll get a lucrative long-term extension.

While Fox thinks Seider will get a long-term deal from the Wings, he believes Lucas Raymond could end up with a short-term contract. Like Seider, he’s completing his entry-level deal. Fox pointed out that Yzerman signed Alex DeBrincat last summer to a four-year contract averaging $7.875 million per season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Yzerman handles Raymond’s contract situation. The 21-year-old winger leads the Wings in scoring with career highs in goals (24), assists (36) and points (60), but he has had bouts of inconsistency in his short NHL career.

Fox wondered if the Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to sign Seth Jarvis to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract or bet big that the 22-year-old winger will break out and sign him to a long-term deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling at times during his sophomore campaign, Jarvis has played well this season for the Hurricanes, sitting third in scoring with a career-high 57 points. I’d say bet big and lock him up long-term. A bridge deal could make him more expensive to sign down the road.

Despite Thomas Harley’s 40-point performance this season, Fox speculates that Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill could sign the 22-year-old defenseman to a bridge deal coming out of his entry-level contract. He noted that Nill did the same with winger Jason Robertson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Harley will get a bridge deal. This is his first full season after splitting the past two seasons between the Stars and their AHL affiliate.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman refused to comment on an early March report claiming contract extension talks had begun. However, he didn’t deny the report.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swayman signed an affordable one-year deal last summer due to the Bruins’ limited cap space for this season. He’s going to get a big raise over his $3.475 million and will likely take over as their full-time starter next season. There’s already speculation that his goalie partner Linus Ullmark could be traded during the offseason.

Fox noted the emergence of Quinton Byfield this season leaves Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake facing a big decision. He could sign the 20-year-old forward to a bridge deal or attempt to ink him to a long-term contract. Fox suggested the latter might come in between $6.5 and $7 million annually.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, it’s tough to justify a lucrative long-term deal based on one good year. On the other, it’ll cost a lot more than $7 million to sign Byfield coming off a bridge deal if he continues to improve as projected. He’s steadily improved with each season.

Hurricanes winger Martin Necas is completing a two-year bridge deal worth $3 million annually and has arbitration rights. The 25-year-old forward is in a position to justify a significant raise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas has surfaced in trade rumors over the past two seasons. He might end up getting that raise from another club.

Turning to the remaining players on Fox’s list, Matty Beniers’ struggles in his sophomore season could see the 2023 Calder Trophy winner getting a short-term bridge deal from the Seattle Kraken.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi will seek a lucrative offer coming off his bridge contract. He’s on pace for a career-best performance.

The Buffalo Sabres could try to sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a mid-term deal. He’s performed well this season but it’s a small sample size to justify a long-term contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2024

by | Jan 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon regains the lead in the scoring race, Jonathan Marchessault sets a Golden Knights record, Zach Parise signs with the Avalanche, Brendan Gallagher receives a five-game suspension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to regain the NHL scoring lead (84 points) in a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Logan O’Connor scored two goals and Alexandar Georgiev made 26 saves for the 32-14-3 Avalanche, who hold first place in the Central Division with 67 points and sit third in the overall standings. Kevin Fiala scored for the struggling Kings (22-15-9), who’ve won just twice in their last 15 games and cling to the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 53 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon also extended his home points streak to 25 games, tying Bobby Orr for the second-longest home points streak to start a season. Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 40 games.

Speaking of the Avalanche, they signed free-agent winger Zach Parise to a one-year, prorated contract worth $825K with no performance bonuses. The 39-year-old Parise spent the last two seasons with the New York Islanders, tallying 21 goals in 2022-23. He’s considered an affordable short-term replacement for Tomas Tatar, who was traded last month to the Seattle Kraken after struggling offensively with the Avs.

Kings center Quinton Byfield missed the game due to an illness.

A hat-trick performance by Jonathan Marchessault powered the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Marchessault set a franchise record for most hat tricks with four. Adin Hill kicked out 36 shots for the 29-14-6 Golden Knights, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 64 points. Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (29-16-3) as they remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a difficult day for the Rangers. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren left this game with an upper-body injury in the first period. Center Filip Chytil suffered a setback in his recovery from a concussion when he suffered an upper-body injury in practice. Forward Nick Bonino cleared waivers and is expected to be sent to their AHL affiliate in Hartford following the All-Star break.

The Florida Panthers nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on a shootout goal by Sam Reinhart, who also scored in regulation to push his points streak to 12 games. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 35 shots while Evan Rodrigues also scored for the 30-14-4 Panthers, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division standings. Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (21-17-7), who’ve won just three of their last 10 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart now has 36 goals on the season. He sits second in the league goal-scoring race, three behind Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews.

An overtime goal by Pavel Buchnevich completed a three-goal comeback by the St. Louis Blues in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Buchnevich finished the night with two goals and an assist while Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn each collected two points for the 25-20-2 Blues (52 points). They’ve won four straight and sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (28-18-10), who are three points out of that wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken forward Matty Beniers returned to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher received a five-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I like Gallagher’s gritty style of play but that hit on Pelech was such an egregious cheap shot that I was surprised he received a telephone hearing, which guaranteed that he’d receive no more than five games. That should’ve been at least 10 games. There’s been no update on Pelech, who was helped from the ice and didn’t return.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Corey Perry will make his debut with the Oilers tonight against the Nashville Predators. Earlier in the week, he signed a one-year, $775K prorated deal with the Oilers.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will miss tonight’s game with the Maple Leafs as he’s not ready yet to return to action from a lower-body injury.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed winger Owen Tippett to an eight-year, $49.6 million contract extension. They also signed forward Ryan Poehling to a two-year, $3.8 million extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Worthwhile signings by the Flyers. Tippett’s annual average value is $6.2 million while Poehling’s is $1.9 million. Both have fit in well on this rebuilding club that has exceeded expectations this season.

After struggling to earn a roster spot with the Florida Panthers earlier in his career, Tippett is reaching his potential as a top-six forward with the Flyers. The 24-year-old winger is second among the Flyers with 18 goals and tied for third with 30 points in 46 games. He has the potential to become a consistent 30-plus goal scorer.

Poehling, 25, has found a home in Philadelphia as a checking-line forward after failing to stick with the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Carolina Hurricanes activated goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 11 after receiving a blow to the head against the Anaheim Ducks.

CBS SPORTS: Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Bobby McCann (undisclosed) on injured reserve and are awaiting word on the status of forward Calle Jarnkrok, who injured his hand during practice on Friday.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring $2,408.85 for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Nashville Predator signed defenseman Kevin Gravel to a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $775K per season at the NHL level.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds hasn’t officially retired as an NHL player but is moving on with his life. “I had a great career. It was the best time I’ve ever had in my life,” said the 35-year-old Simmonds. “Right now, it’s family time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Simmonds played 15 seasons with the Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. In 1,037 games, he scored 263 goals and collected 263 assists for 526 points. He also had 22 points in 53 playoff contests.

A physical two-way winger, Simmonds’ best seasons were the eight he spent with the Flyers, scoring 20-plus goals six times (including two 30-plus goal campaigns) and exceeding 50 points four times.










NHL Morning Coffee Headline – January 17, 2024

by | Jan 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headline – January 17, 2024

The Oilers set a franchise winning streak record, the Jets regain first place in the overall standings, the Lightning aren’t trading Steven Stamkos, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2, setting a franchise record with their 11th straight win. Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist while Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots for the 24-15-1 Oilers, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 49 points. Auston Matthews tallied his league-leading 34th goal of the season for the Leafs (21-13-8) as they sit third in the Atlantic Division with 50 points.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

A 4-2 victory by the Winnipeg Jets over the New York Islanders vaulted them over the Vancouver Canucks into first place in the overall standings with a record of 29-10-4 (62 points). Jets winger Kyle Connor scored in his first game after missing 17 games with an injured knee while Connor Hellebucyk got the win with a 35-save performance. Anders Lee tallied twice for the 19-15-6 Islanders (48 points), who have dropped five of their last six games and remain one point out of the final wild-cards spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets played very well in Connor’s absence but the return of their most talented scorer will only make them stronger. They have the same amount of points as the Canucks but hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the slumping Isles were without forward Pierre Engvall as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche scored five unanswered goals to overcome the Ottawa Senators 7-4. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to tie Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league-scoring lead with 72 points. Mikko Rantanen scored two goals and Samuel Girard collected three assists for the 29-13-3 Avalanche (61 points), who sit one point behind the Jets and Canucks in the Western Conference standings. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux each had three assists for the 15-24-0 Senators.

New York Rangers winger Blake Wheeler scored two goals in a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Kaapo Kakko scored his first goal since returning from injury while Igor Shesterkin turned aside 29 shots for the Rangers (28-13-2) as they hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 58 points. Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each had a goal and an assist for the 19-16-9 Kraken (47 points) as they remain two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kraken placed goaltender Philipp Grubauer (lower body) on long-term injury reserve and moved forward Matty Beniers (upper body) on injured reserve.

Three unanswered third-period goals lifted the Dallas Stars over the Los Angeles Kings 5-1, handing the latter their ninth loss in their last 10 games. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov each collected two points for the 26-12-5 Stars, who sit third in the Central Division with 57 points. Drew Doughty replied for the Kings (21-12-8) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 50 points.

An overtime goal by Yegor Sharangovich gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist while Dan Vladar turned aside 23 shots for the 21-18-5 Flames as they moved to within two points of the final Western wild-card spot with 47 points. Sean Durzi had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (21-18-3) as they sit two points behind the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vladar got the call for the Flames as starter Jacob Markstrom is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They also recalled goalie Dustin Wolf from their AHL affiliate.

Washington Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Ethan Bear and Tom Wilson were the goal scorers for the 21-15-6 Capitals (48 points) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. John Gibson stopped 26 shots for the 15-28-1 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks nipped the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on a shootout goal by Boris Katchouk. Petr Mrazak made 37 saves while Cole Guttman scored in regulation for the 13-29-2 Blackhawks. Ryan Carpenter replied for the 10-31-4 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Nikita Zaitsev left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks signed forward Jason Dickinson to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.25 million. No, this isn’t a “sign-and-trade” scenario. The Blackhawks consider the 28-year-old center to be a key part of their rebuild going forward.

Speaking of Blackhawks contract extensions, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports there’s mutual interest between management and Mrazek. He’s been a good fit, loves playing in Chicago and wants to stay. Don’t be surprised if he re-signs in the coming weeks.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois made it clear that team captain Steven Stamkos won’t be traded no matter what happens between now and the March 8 trade deadline.

Stamkos, who turns 34 on Feb. 7, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Last September, he expressed frustration that the Lightning didn’t engage him in contract talks, sparking speculation of his possible departure from Tampa Bay this summer.

BriseBois insisted that he still sees Stamkos as a key part of the Lightning’s future. He hopes to meet with his captain following this season to discuss his plans and where he fits with the club.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was wise of BriseBois to stamp out any potential trade rumors that might’ve become an unnecessary distraction for Stamkos and his teammates over the remainder of this season.

Stamkos has a full no-movement clause but he hasn’t asked to be traded and BriseBois hasn’t asked him to waive it. This should also give Lightning fans some hope that their captain will remain in Tampa Bay beyond this season.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel is listed as week-to-week following surgery for a lower-body injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss the club’s next two games as he’s suffering from a lower-body injury. Wings coach Derek Lalonde stressed that this injury is not related to his surgically repaired hip. The team hopes to have a clearer picture of Kane’s condition by this weekend.