NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2025

by | Jan 20, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 20, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: the latest on the Rangers’ attempt to land Canucks center J.T. Miller and the latest on Stars captain Jamie Benn and Sharks center Nico Sturm.

UPDATE ON THE “MILLER TO THE RANGERS” RUMORS

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports there have been on-and-off trade discussions between the Rangers and Vancouver Canucks regarding J.T. Miller since November. The 31-year-old Canucks center is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $8 million and a full no-movement clause.

The Rangers AHL affiliate in Hartford scratched Bo Groulx, Adam Sykora and Jaroslav Chmelar from Saturday’s game against Charlotte, raising speculation they were to be part of a multiplayer deal for Miller. Brooks stated there was no indication that a trade had advanced that far.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)

Rangers center Mika Zibanejad “will not be part of the bounty going to Vancouver in a potential deal for Miller.” It’s believed Alexis Lafreniere was part of the discussions. The 23-year-old Blueshirts winger carries a $7.45 million AAV through 2031-32.

Brooks believes Rangers management is willing to take a step back this season to be in a position to win the Stanley Cup within the next year or two. He acknowledged a potential swap of the older Miller for the younger Lafreniere might come back to haunt the Rangers down the road. “But this is a team that should focus on a window that, with smart use of cap space, should remain open for the next three years.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey believes Brooks’ report doesn’t necessarily mean the Rangers are willing to trade Lafreniere. He cited USA Today’s Vince Z. Mercogliano suggesting moving the talented young winger would be “a bridge too far.”

Mastey cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman report on Saturday that the deal was off. It’s unclear if Lafreniere was involved.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman broke the story on Saturday that the Canucks and Rangers had discussed a trade involving Miller that seemed close but fell apart. He didn’t name any Blueshirts that might’ve been part of the deal.

Friedman also reported earlier this month that the Canucks wanted a center as part of the return for Miller. Their rumored ask for Lafreniere suggests they’re now willing to accept a talented young forward regardless of position.

Brooks also mentioned Braden Schneider, saying he wouldn’t include the 23-year-old Rangers defenseman in the deal. He didn’t say the Canucks asked for Schneider but his comment gives that impression.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Miller has not been asked to waive his no-movement clause. However, “the vibe around the player and the room in a season gone south would suggest that something has to give.” Kuzma also acknowledged the rumors earlier this season that had the Canucks swapping Miller for Zibanejad. However, he indicated the latter won’t waive his no-movement clause to go to Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Patrick Johnston wondered where Miller would go if he accepted a trade. “Will it be New York? Dallas? New Jersey? Boston?”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun last week that he wanted to acquire a center who could bring some “extra oomph” to his roster. Miller would fit the bill provided he’s willing to go to New Jersey.

The Stars could afford Miller’s cap hit for this season once they put Tyler Seguin and his $9.8 million AAV on long-term injury reserve. It’s unlikely the cap-strapped, prospect-thin Bruins could meet the Canucks’ asking price.

STARS LOOKING TO BRING BACK JAMIE BENN NEXT SEASON

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer reports Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill wants to re-sign captain Jamie Benn. He cited a “well-placed source” who says neither side is worried about completing the deal. Biringer adds that Benn is expected to finish his playing career with the Stars.

The 35-year-old Benn is completing an eight-year contract with an AAV of $9.5 million. Preliminary talks took place last summer but no numbers have been discussed.

Biringer’s source indicated the two sides agreed to get through this season before getting into serious talks. However, they believe Benn will still be with the Dallas Stars after July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Benn won’t get another lucrative long-term deal at this career stage. Nevertheless, he remains an effective part of the lineup. They could do a two or three-year deal at a lower salary than his current contract.

SHARKS’ NICO STURM ANTICIPATES A TRADE

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka reports San Jose Sharks forward Nico Sturm believes he’ll be moved by the March 7 trade deadline if he doesn’t receive a contract extension.

The 29-year-old Sturm is in the final season of a three-year, $6 million contract. He’s centered the Sharks’ fourth line this season. Pashelka thinks he could be “an attractive, low-risk addition to any playoff team.” He won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.










NHL Rumor Mill – July 22, 2024

by | Jul 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – July 22, 2024

A look ahead at the UFA class of 2025 in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon looked ahead at next summer’s class of unrestricted free agents.

He excluded Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, assuming they’ll sign contract extensions with their current clubs.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner tops Dixon’s list. He notes the 27-year-old winger holds all the cards with his full no-movement clause this season. Marner could play out this season with the Leafs and see what free agency holds next summer. The Leafs could try to re-sign him but Dixon doesn’t expect they’ll come up with a sufficiently high number that’s entice Marner to forego free agency.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner could re-sign with the Leafs if the average annual value is between William Nylander’s $11.5 million and Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million, preferably closer to the latter. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he tests the market.

Dixon also pondered the possibility of the Leafs bringing back captain John Tavares for half his current $11 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs Nation could prefer Tavares accept much less than that. He could get half of his current AAV on the open market. That’ll depend on his performance this season. The decline in his production in 2023-24 was noticeable. A further drop means he won’t get anything close to $5.5 million annually on his next contract from the Leafs or on the open market.

The Ottawa Senators will be keen to sign Linus Ullmark to an extension if his goaltending sparks a turnaround in their fortunes. However, the 30-year-old netminder could wait and see how things unfold this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark will likely stay patient and wait until the end of the season before making a decision.

Dixon noted the Vegas Golden Knights are always up against the salary cap, which could affect efforts to re-sign Shea Theodore. He noted they signed Noah Hanifin to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $7.4 million and wondered if a similar deal could get it done for Theodore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Theodore seems destined to follow Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson out of Vegas via free agency. They have Hanifin and Alex Pietrangelo carrying AAVs of over $7 million. They can’t afford a third blueliner with that cap hit.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser enjoyed a career-best 40-goal performance last season. A strong start in 2024-25 could see him and the club hammer out an in-season agreement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser will be an expensive re-signing. His current AAV is $6.65 million and he could seek over $9 million on his next deal.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny’s robust play will draw lots of interest if he goes to market next summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny loves being a Flyer and management thinks highly of him. Nevertheless, his future in Philadelphia will depend on the club’s performance this season. If they falter, they could move him at the trade deadline for pieces that will help them rebuild.

It’s believed the Winnipeg Jets could trade Nikolaj Ehlers this summer. However, the Jets surprised us before by re-signing Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele last summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck and Scheifele are the Jets’ franchise players. Ehlers is a complementary winger. If they don’t trade him this summer, he could be moved at the March trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention by then. Otherwise, they’ll hang onto Ehlers if they’re in the thick of the playoff race and watch him walk next summer.

The Florida Panthers have Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad eligible for UFA status next summer. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to retain all three of them. They could part ways with Ekblad, but that could further weaken their defense corps.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers general manager Bill Zito has shown he can make bold moves to improve his club. For example, he could be proactive before free agency begins on July 1 by acquiring a replacement for Ekblad.

Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill could be the top goalie in next summer’s UFA market if he has a strong performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think that honor will belong to Ullmark. Hill plays well when healthy but he’s battled lower-body injuries for several seasons.

Dixon believes Jamie Benn could accept a contract with a lower cap figure to remain with the Dallas Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see the 35-year-old Benn leaving a Cup contender to chase another lucrative deal. He’s made his big money with his current deal paying him an AAV of $9.5 million. He could accept half that on a short-term deal to stay put.

A strong start to this season might prompt Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings to discuss an extension.

Claude Giroux could stay in Ottawa if the Senators improve this season.

Jakob Chychrun could be anxious to get a long-term deal and plant roots with one team after bouncing among three clubs since 2022. Whether it’s with the Washington Capitals or another club remains to be seen.

The other notables include the Stars’ Esa Lindell, Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders, Gustav Nyquist of the Nashville Predators, Adam Larsson of the Seattle Kraken, Neal Pionk of the Jets, Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks, Dmitry Orlov of the Carolina Hurricanes, Vladislav Gavrikov of the Los Angeles Kings, Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Taylor Hall of the Chicago Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2023

by | May 29, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Stars ahead of Game 6 of the Western Conference Final and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights will be looking for their “killer instinct” as they enter a must-win Game 6 in the Western Conference Final tonight in Dallas. After taking a 3-0 series lead, they squandered two opportunities to eliminate the Stars and advance to the Stanley Cup.

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the round prior to the Stanley Cup Final in 47 attempts all-time.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Up three games to two, the advantage still rests with the Golden Knights. However, the momentum in this series has shifted in the Stars’ favor, giving them confidence that they can rally back and win this thing. If the Golden Knights lose tonight, it becomes a winner-take-all in Game 7 on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn returns to the lineup for Game 6 after serving his two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3. To make room for Benn’s return, Stars coach Peter DeBoer could be forced to sit Fredrik Olofsson or Ty Dellandrea. Both could be healthy scratches if sidelined winger Evgenii Dadonov is ready to return from his lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dellandrea was the hero of Game 5 with a two-goal performance, including the game-winner. He’ll likely remain in the lineup if Dadonov can’t return to action tonight.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said following his brother Matthew’s performance with the Florida Panthers has given him additional motivation for next season. He’s impressed by how Matthew has stepped up at key moments during the Panthers’ playoff run thus far. “That’s something I want to do and I want to provide for Ottawa,” said Brady.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthew Tkachuk and teammate Sergei Bobrovsky appear to be neck-and-neck as the front-runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Brady, 23, is coming off a career-best 83-point season. The Senators could make significant strides next season if he matches his big brother’s postseason performance.

FOX 5 VEGAS: Former Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty has sold his $11 million Las Vegas home. Pacioretty was traded last summer to the Carolina Hurricanes. The sale price of his home is the highest in the Greater Las Vegas area thus far this year.

NEW YORK POST: The lack of any announcement from the Islanders over the fates of general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Lane Lambert is indicative that both will likely be back in their jobs next season. It’s been a month since the Isles were eliminated from the opening round of the playoffs by the Hurricanes.

THE SCORE: Canada has won its record-setting 28th gold medal at the IIHF World Championship with a 5-2 victory over Germany on Sunday. Tied at 2 entering the third period, Canada tallied three unanswered goals from Sammy Blais, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton.

Host nation Latvia won its first-ever medal at an elite IIHF event by upsetting Team USA 4-3 in overtime to win the bronze medal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

by | May 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2023

The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Stars captain Jamie Benn is suspended for two games, the finalists for general manager of the year are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, including the winning goal with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots as the Panthers win the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since 1996.

Florida Panthers pose with Prince of Wales Trophy (NHL.com).

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin left the game early in the first period with an apparent concussion after a hard hit by Panthers forward Sam Bennett behind the Hurricanes net. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game with a suspected concussion. Following the game, Slavin said the hit was clean.

Slavin’s teammate Stefan Noesen suffered an upper-body injury in the first period. He returned in the second period but was not on the bench for the third.

The Panthers await the winner of the Western Conference Final. The Vegas Golden Knights hold a 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Stars and can close out the series with a win tonight in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-earned win by the Panthers in both this game and in a series where each game was closely contested and decided by one goal. Bobrovsky and Tkachuk were their dominant players but this sweep of such a strong opponent was definitely a team effort. Captain Aleksander Barkov tied with Tkachuk for the club lead in points (five) in this series while forwards Anthony Duclair, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Bennett each had three points.

This was the third time dating back to 2009 that the Hurricanes were swept in the Conference Final. However, this one probably hurts the most. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour believes they deserved better and he has a point. The Hurricanes controlled the play but were stymied offensively by Bobrovsky’s goaltending. Losing Slavin in Game 4 was a big blow to their blueline.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn received a two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in Game 3 of their Western Conference Final series.

Benn’s teammate Max Domi was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Stone in the third period of that game.

Evgeni Dadonov is doubtful for Game 4. The Stars winger suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 and didn’t return.

SPORTSNET: Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts issued an apology to the Golden Knights after fans littered the ice with debris late in the second period of Game 3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fallout from the Stars’ horrible performance in Game 3 will have consequences for tonight’s game against the Golden Knights. They must now try to avoid elimination without their captain, whose undisciplined antics have taken him out of this series at a crucial time when they need his leadership and experience the most.

NHL.COM: Jim Nill of the Stars, Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are this season’s finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This award, like all NHL individual awards except for the Conn Smythe Trophy, is based on regular-season performance. Thus, I think Sweeney will win it because of his club’s record-setting performance with 65 wins and 135 points.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres announced that Kyle Okposo has agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Okposo, 34, served as the Sabres captain last season. In 75 games, he had 11 goals and 27 points.

Okposo also earned the Rick Martin Memorial Award, “presented to the player who fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Sabre through on-ice excellence, resilience, and dedication to the community.”

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Playing for Sweden at the IIHF World Championship, Sandin was injured following a knee-on-knee hit by Team USA’s Michael Eyssimont, who was ejected from the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals are probably breathing a sigh of relief that it was much worse. Sandin is expected to play a big role among their top-four defensemen next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2023

by | Feb 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 9, 2023

The Stars tame the Wild, the Rangers down the Canucks and Oilers GM Ken Holland seeks “dollar-in, dollar-out” trades. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: It was a milestone game for Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn as his club tamed the Minnesota Wild by a score of 4-1. Benn opened the scoring with his 20th goal of the season, marking his 10th career 20-goal season. Jake Oettinger made 38 saves and Jason Robertson collected two assists as the Stars (30-13-10) extended their points streak to seven games. Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Wild as they slipped to 27-19-4 on the season.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars opened a five-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Western Conference with 70 points. The Wild, meanwhile, dropped into the final wild-card berth in the West with 58 points.

The New York Rangers held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. K’Andre Miller collected three assists while Filip Chytil scored to extend his goal streak to five games as the Rangers improved to 29-14-8. Quinn Hughes collected two assists while J.T. Miller picked up an assist for his 500th career point as the Canucks fell to 20-27-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points.

HEADLINES

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland told the Got Yer Back podcast that he would like to make a move before the March 3 trade deadline to help his roster. However, he indicated it would have to be a “dollar in, dollar out” move.

The Oilers have $1.125 million in cap space with winger Kailer Yamamoto ($3.1 million average annual value) eligible to come off long-term injury reserve on Saturday. Holland explained that will force him to make some difficult decisions regarding his bottom-of-the-roster players. “They can’t all stay,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors link the Oilers to left-shot defensemen such as the Arizona Coyotes Jakob Chychrun, the Columbus Blue Jackets Vladislav Gavrikov and the Montreal Canadiens Joel Edmundson. A dollar-in, dollar-out deal could involve winger Jesse Puljujarvi ($3.5 million AAV) as the Oilers have been trying to move him for months.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau doesn’t expect much to change for the NHL Players Association now that US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is expected to become their new executive director.

Proteau doubts Walsh will make the PA more aggressive in its collective bargaining negotiations with the NHL. He points out that the players have taken the money they’re getting under the current CBA and kept the waters calm. The league, meanwhile, isn’t about to change a system that is working well for the owners of the 32 teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Proteau’s take. He noted the PA could decertify, which would allow all the players to become unrestricted free agents able to negotiate any contract with any team. However, they haven’t shown any inclination to go that route and it’s unlikely they’re going to do so in four years’ time when the current CBA is due to expire.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reports the Islanders announced they will avoid rainbow jerseys and tape during their Pride Night warmups. They will be making donations to the LGBT Network and the New York Gay Pride Association, as well as carrying out other Pride-based initiatives.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles are following the lead of the New York Rangers, which did the same thing during their recent Pride Night. It’ll be interesting to see if any more teams follow suit.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said he doesn’t want the issue of rainbow jerseys overshadowing the league’s support of the game community. Sears points out that may be already happening.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov skipped practice yesterday but head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t consider his injury to be serious. Barkov left Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after being struck in the hand by a shot.

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: The Flyers have told their season-ticket holders that if they renew, they’ll refund the price of all their April games and apply the credit toward next season.

TSN: The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Tommy Novak to a one-year, $800K contract extension.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2022

by | May 11, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2022

The Leafs, Hurricanes, Blues and Kings go up 3-2 in their respective series, the Canadiens win the 2022 NHL draft lottery, the Vezina Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews snapped a 3-3 tie to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their first-round series. Toronto rallied from a 2-0 deficit and held a 3-2 lead until Ryan McDonagh tied it for Tampa Bay before Matthews netted the game-winner. William Nylander had a goal and two assists and John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who hold a 3-2 series lead over the Lightning as the series returns to Tampa Bay for Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was the most entertaining game of this series. The Lightning dominated the opening period but the Leafs rallied in part thanks to a motivating between-period speech by center Jason Spezza. Their biggest test comes on Thursday as they must finally get the monkey off their backs and win the franchise’s first playoff series since 2004.

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).

St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko tallied a natural hat trick in the third period to lead his club to a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 of their opening-round series. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington picked up his second straight win by stopping 32 shots. Kirill Kaprizov scored both Wild goals. The series heads back to St. Louis on Thursday for Game 6 with the Blues holding a 3-2 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues showed their mettle by overcoming a 2-1 series deficit to put themselves in the driver’s seat heading into Thursday’s contest. We’ll find out if the Wild can do the same to force a seventh and deciding game back home in Minnesota on Saturday.

The Carolina Hurricanes atoned for their undisciplined Game 4 loss against the Boston Bruins with a 5-1 victory in Game 5. Seth Jarvis scored two goals, Teuvo Teravainen, Vincent Trocheck and Tony DeAngelo each had three points and Antti Raanta made 33 saves for the win. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy returned to the lineup after spending Game 4 in COVID protocol. The Hurricanes lead the series three games to two heading back to Boston for Game 6 on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins fell behind 2-0 in the first and spent the next two periods falling further behind as they tried to play catch-up. They need more from their secondary scorers such as Taylor Hall, Jake DeBrusk and Craig Smith or this series will be over on Thursday.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their series. The Oilers overcame a 4-2 deficit in the third period on two goals by Leon Draisaitl to force the extra frame. Kempe and Draisaitl each finished the night with two goals and an assist. The Kings hold a 3-2 series lead heading home to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Thursday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are poised to pull off the first upset of the 2022 NHL playoffs unless the Oilers can win Game 6 and return home to Edmonton to take Game 7 on Saturday. The Oilers haven’t won a playoff series since 2017 so it’s gut-check time for Draisaitl, fellow superstar Connor McDavid and their teammates.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens will select first overall in the 2022 NHL Draft after winning the draft lottery on Tuesday evening. The New Jersey Devils won the second-overall selection while the Arizona Coyotes will get the No. 3 pick. The draft will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal on July 7-8.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full list of the draft order from selections 1 through 16. The remainder of the order will be determined by the outcomes of the four rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The top prospect in this year’s draft is Kingston Frontenacs center Shane Wright. However, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes played coy over which player he’ll select on July 7, indicating he and his staff will continue to evaluate the prospects before making their final decision.

Winger Juraj Slafkovsky of TPS Finland and center Logan Cooley of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) are also ranked among the top three in this year’s prospect pool.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens will conduct due diligence but they’ll likely take Wright, who was ranked this year’s top prospect throughout this season. While the 18-year-old center isn’t a generational talent, he’s drawn favorable comparisons to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron. If Hughes chooses Wright, Canadiens fans will be thrilled if he becomes a multiple Selke Trophy winner.

Hughes’ son, Jack, is also among this year’s top-32 prospects. However, the Canadiens GM joked he wouldn’t be taking him with that selection.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks wound up with the sixth-overall selection. However, that pick goes to the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of the terms of last year’s Seth Jones trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That could work in the Blackhawks’ favor. Had this year’s pick landed among the top two, the Blue Jackets would’ve received the Hawks’ first-rounder in the 2023 draft, which is considered to be deeper in talented prospects.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights wound up with the 16th overall pick but that selection goes to the Buffalo Sabres as part of last November’s Jack Eichel trade. The Sabres also own the ninth-overall pick.

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom, Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros, and New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin are the 2022 finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These three are certainly worthwhile candidates. Shesterkin is considered the favorite as he led all starters during the regular season with a 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Patrick Marleau officially announced his retirement as an NHL player on Tuesday. He spent 21 of his 23 seasons with the San Jose Sharks and holds the league record for most games played with 1,779. Marleau is also the Sharks’ all-time leader with 1,607 games played, 522 goals and 1,111 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Marleau and his family in their future endeavors.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for a dangerous trip on Calgary Flames forward Trevor Lewis during Game 4 on Monday.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel played the final six weeks of the regular season with a broken finger.