NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2022

by | Mar 10, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2022

​The Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Canucks’ J.T. Miller lead their respective teams to victory in Wednesday’s action, former Sabres captain Jack Eichel prepare for his first game in Buffalo, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid’s overtime goal lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Washington Capitals 4-3. McDavid finished with two points to lead the league with 81 points, two up on teammate Leon Draisaitl. Washington center Nicklas Backstrom also had a goal and an assist to become the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 career points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held scoreless and remains tied with Jaromir Jagr for third on the all-time goals list with 766.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the sixth consecutive season McDavid has scored 30 goals and 80 points. The win puts the Oilers (66 points) one behind the Dallas Stars for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. With 72 points, the Capitals hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference, sitting one back of the Boston Bruins.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller extended his points streak to 10 games with a goal and three assists in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (64 points), who sit two points behind the Oilers. Canadiens forwards Artturi Lehkonen and Rem Pitlick each netted three points.

HEADLINES

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel claims he feels “no bitterness” against the Buffalo Sabres as he prepares to face his former club in Buffalo for the first time since being traded to Vegas last November. Eichel claimed he had a “phenomenal time” in Buffalo, adding the team and the city treated him and his family well.

It’s a slightly different tone from the one Eichel had in an interview filmed with ESPN a week ago in which he said he felt the Sabres were toying with him when they didn’t trade him last summer and stripped him of the captaincy in a phone call. However, he had already made his trade request and the club was trying to arrange a deal. He also wasn’t healthy enough to attend training camp due to his neck injury.

Pressed on those points, Eichel replied that he may have disagreed with some points over the way the situation was handled. He also said he felt a lot of pride in being the team captain and was unhappy over having the captaincy taken from him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel and the Golden Knights face off tonight against the Sabres with the latter planning a video tribute to him at some point during the game.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau is reportedly ok after being shaken up by a hit from Capitals winger Tom Wilson during Tuesday’s game between the two clubs.

THE ATHLETIC: Los Angeles Kings forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Brendan Lemieux and defenseman Mikey Anderson are all listed as week-to-week. Arvidsson and Lemieux are sidelined by lower-body injuries while Anderson has an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Arvidsson is a significant blow as he’s second among Kings scorers this season with 18 goals and 38 points in 50 games. His absence could send management into the trade market for help.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich has been sidelined for eight weeks by wrist surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues were reportedly in the market for a defenseman before Perunovich went down. This news will only stoke that speculation.

TSN: The Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Nathan Beaulieu (lower body) on injury reserve and recalled blueliner Ville Heinola.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Kyle Clifford to a two-year contract extension worth $762,500 per season. They also inked defenseman Carl Dahlstrom to a one-year, two-way deal.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks have brought back Norm Maciver as associate general manager. He’d previously been in the organization in various roles between 2006 and 2021 before departing to become director of player personnel for the Seattle Kraken.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Hall-of-Famers Guy Lafleur, Lanny McDonald and Kim St-Pierre have been named to the Order of Hockey in Canada.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Lafleur, McDonald and St-Pierre for this well-deserved honor.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2022

by | Mar 9, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 9, 2022

​The Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin tied for third on the all-time scoring list, the Leafs’ Auston Matthews widens his lead in the Richard Trophy race, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice to tie Jaromir Jagr for third place on the all-time goal list (766) as his club held off the Calgary Flames 5-4. With 36 goals, Ovechkin sits fourth in this season’s goal-scoring race. The Capitals hold the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 71 points, sitting two behind the Boston Bruins. Flames forward Elias Lindholm also scored two goals as his club remains atop the Pacific Division with 75 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

A hat trick by Auston Matthews powered the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 6-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Leafs blew a 3-1 lead and fell behind 4-3 before getting two goals from Matthews and one from Mitch Marner for the win. With 43 goals, Matthews holds a five-goal lead over the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and the New York Rangers Chris Kreider. the Leafs (78 points) are two back of the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is just seven goals from becoming the first Leaf to reach the 50-goal plateau since Dave Andreychuk in 1993-94. With 74 points, he’s just five points behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

Patrick Kane netted a career-high six points (one goal and five assists) as his Chicago Blackhawks thumped the Anaheim Ducks 8-3. Dylan Strome had a hat trick plus an assist while Alex DeBrincat had a goal and three assists. Anaheim goalie John Gibson got the hook after giving up five goals in 13 shots in the first period. With 63 points, the Ducks remain four points behind the Dallas Stars for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Arizona Coyotes tallied seven or more goals for the second straight game in a 9-2 dubbing of the Detroit Red Wings. Fresh off a seven-point performance in his previous game, Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz tallied two goals and added two assists in this contest while teammates Jakob Chychrun, Clayton Keller and Nick Ritchie each had three-point nights. The Coyotes have won three straight games for the first time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes winger Phil Kessel skated in the opening shift to keep his NHL Ironman streak alive at 956 games, then flew back to Arizona on a flight chartered by team owner Alex Meruelo to attend the birth of his child. Meanwhile, Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana scored in his season debut following a long recovery from shoulder surgery.

Florida Panthers winger Anthony Duclair tied his career-high of 23 goals to help his club down the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Aleksander Barkov collected two assists as the Panthers move into a tie with the Carolina Hurricanes with 83 points, though the Hurricanes sit atop the Eastern Conference with a game in hand. Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 77 points.

The Colorado Avalanche (87 points) failed to widen their lead over the Hurricanes and Panthers in the overall standings after falling 5-3 to the New Jersey Devils, who overcame a 3-0 deficit for the win. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the Devils. Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar extended his points streak to 13 games with a goal and an assist. Devils head coach Lindy Ruff moved into sixth place on the all-time wins list among NHL bench bosses with 776. He’s 12 wins behind Hall-of-Famer Al Arbour.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored and set up three others to lead his club to a 7-4 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Paul Stastny scored twice for the Jets, who had lost six of their last eight games. With 60 points, they’re seven points out of the final Western wild-card berth. The Lightning (80 points) remain three behind the Hurricanes and Panthers in the Eastern Conference.

The Minnesota Wild got two goals by Kevin Fiala and a three-point performance by Marcus Foligno to down the New York Rangers 5-2. Cam Talbot made 23 saves for the win as the Wild (69 points) moved within two points of the second-place St. Louis Blues in the Central Division. The Rangers (77 points) hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with a game in hand over the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Jordan Greenway collected an assist as he returned to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Blues, they suffered their fourth straight loss by falling 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators, who snapped a five-game losing skid. Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris led the way with a goal and two assists each while Brady Tkachuk scored his 19th goal of the season.

Two goals by Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi lifted the Nashville Predators over the Dallas Stars 2-1. John Klingberg tallied for the Stars to snap his 25-game goal-scoring drought. The Predators (68 points) moved one ahead of the Stars into the first Western wild-card spot.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made a career-high 47 saves to backstop his club to a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Justin Braun and Oskar Lindblom were the goal scorers for the Flyers while Evgenii Dadonov replied for the Golden Knights, who sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken signed forward Jared McCann to a five-year, $25 million contract extension. McCann, 25, is their leading scorer with 21 goals and 33 points and is the first player in franchise history to re-sign with the club.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin returned to the ice yesterday by taking part in an optional skate. He’s been sidelined by a concussion and there’s still no timetable for his return to action.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes forward Antoine Roussel has been sidelined for six weeks with a lower-body injury.

TSN: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed forward Justin Danforth to a two-year, $1.95 million contract extension. Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks claimed defenseman Andrej Sustr off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2022

by | Mar 7, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – March 7, 2022

​Will Marc-Andre Fleury accept a trade? Should the Wild acquire Shea Weber’s contract? What’s the latest on the Penguins? Could the Bruins pursue Jakob Chychrun? Check out the latest in today’s NHL rumor mill.

WILL FLEURY ACCEPT A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons reports a source claims Marc-Andre Fleury has told the Chicago Blackhawks he doesn’t want to be moved at the trade deadline. “That basically removes Fleury from the trade deadline, unless of course he changes his mind,” writes Simmons.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES Ben Pope took to Twitter to counter Simmons’ report, saying his understanding is the Fleury situation remains “up in the air.” He doesn’t think the goalie has ruled it out.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pope added it’s believed Fleury wants to stay in Chicago and could even re-sign with the Blackhawks if he doesn’t retire. Still, he believes a Fleury trade remains possible. Stay tuned…

SHOULD THE WILD ACQUIRE WEBER’S CONTRACT?

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo suggested the Minnesota Wild consider acquiring the contract of sidelined Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber after noting Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Canadiens are willing to trade that contract.

Assuming Weber’s playing career is over, his $7.857 million annual salary cap hit through 2025-26 could provide the Wild a way out of salary-cap hell for the next three seasons after they bought out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter last year. It could free up room to sign Kevin Fiala to a contract extension or delve into this summer’s free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An interesting suggestion. It remains to be seen if Wild general manager Bill Guerin will act on that or if he has other plans to find some much-needed salary-cap space beyond this season.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski noted the Penguins have scouted the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks over the past week. He believes Penguins GM Ron Hextall won’t “go big” at the March 21 trade deadline but instead seek affordable options for a middle-six winger or blueline depth.

Kingerski wondered if the Penguins could give up a left-hand defenseman (and retain salary) because they’re deep on that side. He noted Toronto winger Nick Robertson has struggled to crack the Maple Leafs lineup.

He also downplayed the “Brock Boeser for Kasperi Kapanen” speculation regarding the Canucks and doesn’t see them parting with J.T. Miller. He wondered instead if Hextall could interest Vancouver hockey ops president (and former Penguins GM) Jim Rutherford in a prospect such as Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Nathan Legare or Samuel Poulin, suggesting Canucks winger Conor Garland or defenseman Travis Hamonic as trade options.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hextall surprised everyone at last year’s trade deadline by acquiring Jeff Carter from the Los Angeles Kings. It was a move that worked out well for the Penguins.

I anticipate Hextall will try to boost his roster at the trade deadline, though it might not be a splash as big as the Carter acquisition. The Penguins have no games scheduled against the Leafs or Canucks so perhaps there’s a deal to be made with one of those clubs.

TIDBITS FROM DAILY FACEOFF’S RECENT “ICEBREAKERS”.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently reported the Florida Panthers have no interest in trading goaltender Spencer Knight. It’s believed the Panthers and Arizona Coyotes engaged in discussions regarding Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun around the holidays. The Coyotes wanted Knight as part of the package but that obviously didn’t happen.

Speaking of Chychrun, Seravalli noted the Boston Bruins were also interested in the Coyotes blueliner. He wondered if Bruin goalie Jeremy Swayman could be part of the proposed transaction. The Bruins would then need a backup for Linus Ullmark, prompting Seravalli to suggest perhaps someone like Philadelphia’s Martin Jones might work.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch speculated about the Bruins perhaps packaging winger Jake DeBrusk as part of a deal for Chychrun. However, I think the Coyotes will stay patient on offers for him. With Chychrun signed beyond this season, they can wait until this summer to move him if they don’t get any offers to their liking by March 21. I think the Bruins prefer keeping their goalie tandem intact for the remainder of the season to see how things shake out.

Ottawa Senators forward Nick Paul would draw considerable interest from playoff contenders seeking affordable forward depth. Sources say there’s been little contract between the Senators and Paul on a contract extension.

The Carolina Hurricanes have started contract extension talks with Jesperi Kotkaniemi. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who’s on a one-year. $6.1 million contract. Seravalli wonders if a six- or seven-year deal at a lower annual average value between $4 million and $4.5 million might work for both sides.

The Vancouver Canucks must also soon reach a decision on trading or retaining forward Tyler Motte. He’s slated to become a UFA this summer. Sources said there haven’t yet been substantive contract discussions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2022

by | Mar 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2022

​The Hurricanes widen their lead in the Eastern Conference standings, Joe Pavelski reaches a career milestone, more front-office changes for the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes (81 points) opened a three-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning atop the Eastern Conference by downing the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit on two goals by Jordan Staal, setting the stage for Andrei Svechnikov’s overtime winner. Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who are four points behind the Hurricanes.

Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins placed defenseman Mike Matheson on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 24. He’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Lightning, Victor Hedman collected three assists in a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had two assists while Brian Elliott picked up the win with 22 saves. The Bolts hold a one-point lead over the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots to backstop the New York Rangers to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider each had a goal and an assist, with the latter tallying his 36th goal of the season to sit third in the NHL goal-scoring race. The Rangers (75 points) are two points behind the second-place Penguins in the Metropolitan Division.

A hat trick by Jason Robertson (including the winning goal in overtime) carried the Dallas Stars over the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. Stars forward Joe Pavelski picked up an assist to earn his 900th career point while goaltender Braden Holtby made 39 saves for the win. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers also had an assist as he returned to the lineup following a 19-game absence with a knee injury. The Stars (65 points) moved one point ahead of the Nashville Predators into the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference while the Jets (58 points) are six points behind the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keep an eye on the Jets over the next couple of weeks. They could become sellers by the March 21 trade deadline if they don’t gain ground in the Western Conference wild-card race. The Stars, meanwhile, are less likely to be sellers if they can maintain their hold on a playoff berth.

Viktor Arvidsson completed his hat trick with an overtime goal as the Los Angeles Kings overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. The Kings sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 67 points.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Michael Amadio had a goal and two assists as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4, moving into third place in the Pacific Division with 66 points. Nicolas Roy also tallied twice for the Golden Knights. With 61 points, the Ducks are three back of the Predators.

Jeff Skinner scored two goals as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Minnesota Wild 5-4 to hand the latter their seventh loss in their last nine games. Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice for the Wild while linemate Mats Zuccarello missed this game with an undisclosed injury. Minnesota is third in the Central Division with 67 points.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks announced yesterday that vice president of amateur scouting Mark Kelley and assistant GM of pro evaluation Ryan Stewart have left the team. The pair were part of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup wins in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds will play in his 1,000th career NHL game tonight against the Vancouver Canucks

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The injury bug has bitten the Canadiens again as goaltender Andrew Hammond was placed on injured reserve. Cayden Primeau has been recalled from Laval.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Top Russian prospects such as Danila Yurov and Alexander Perevalov could see their stock plummet in this year’s NHL draft due to their country’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent international sanctions and bans implemented upon Russian hockey as a result.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2022

by | Mar 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2022

​Recaps of Thursday’s action, barriers emerging for Russian players, an update on Hall-of-Famer Guy Lafleur, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, ending the latter’s five-game win streak. Tristan Jarry made 29 saves while Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist. Lightning coach Jon Cooper was ejected from the game near the end of the second period for criticizing referee Wes McCauley. With 76 points, the Penguins move to within three points of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division while the Lightning (76 points) drop one point behind the first-place Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (NHL Images).

Speaking of the Panthers, they snapped a three-game losing skid by blanking the Ottawa Senators 3-0. Sergei Bobrovsky had an 18-save shutout while Mason Marchment, Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Lomberg were the goal scorers. Panthers star Jonathan Huberdeau was held scoreless to end his points streak at 10 games.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, were shut out 4-0 by the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek got the win by kicking out 36 shots while Alex Ovechkin scored his 763rd career goal to move within three of Jaromir Jagr on the all-time list. The Capitals hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Anthony Mantha returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury on Nov. 4. The club created salary-cap space for his return by placing Carl Hagelin (eye) on long-term injury reserve and Joe Snively (upper body) on injured reserve.

Boston Bruins winger Craig Smith tallied a hat trick and David Pastrnak scored twice to down the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman turned aside 34 shots for the win as his club sits three points up on the Capitals in the first Eastern wild-card berth. Jack Eichel netted his first goal with the Golden Knights, who’ve slid into the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The absence of sidelined captain Mark Stone has contributed to Vegas’ slide in the standings. Since his last game on Feb. 8, the Golden Knights have just two wins in their last eight games. Robin Lehner returned to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 9 but gave up four goals on 35 shots.

A 42-save performance by Arizona Coyotes netminder Karel Vejmelka carried his club to a 2-1 upset over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Nick Schmaltz broke a 1-1 tie in the third period. The Avs remain atop the overall standings with 84 points.

Speaking of upsets, the Montreal Canadiens nipped the Calgary Flames 5-4 on an overtime goal by Ben Chiarot, who finished the game with two goals as the Habs ended the Flames’ 11-game home winning streak. Mike Hoffman had a goal and three assists and Nick Suzuki had three points for the Canadiens. Andrew Mangiapane had a goal and two assists for the Flames, who remain in first place in the Pacific Division with 71 points. Montreal forward Jake Evans left the game with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens remain competitive under interim coach Martin St. Louis. If this keeps up their improvement could hurt their odds of winning the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery but I don’t think the team cares about that. Their players look like they’re enjoying playing the game again.

In another upset, the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oiler 4-3 on an overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat. Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who honored former defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson with a pregame ceremony and a video tribute for Oilers blueliner Duncan Keith, who spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks before being traded to Edmonton last summer. Evander Kane tallied twice for the Oilers (64 points), who moved into third place in the Pacific Division. Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Minnesota Wild snapped their four-game losing skid by downing the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4. Matt Boldy and Jonas Brodin scored 25 seconds apart in the third period as the Wild overcame a 4-3 deficit. Ryan Hartman scored twice while teammate Jared Spurgeon broke the club record for most games by a defenseman with 744. The Wild sit in third place in the Central Division with 67 points.

Third-period goals by Nils Hoglander and Vasily Podkolzin lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. With 60 points, the Canucks are four points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

HEADLINES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Increasing international sanctions and bans imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine could bring up barriers for its hockey players hoping to reach the NHL or other elite leagues.

SPORTSNET: Guy Lafleur’s family issued a statement yesterday thanking fans for their support as the Hall-of-Famer battles lung cancer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hope you get well soon, Flower!

NBC SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes will host the Washington Capitals in the 2023 Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC on Feb. 18, 2023.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks goaltender James Reimer is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Kevin Rooney will be out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2022

by | Mar 2, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – March 2, 2022

​Check out the latest Blackhawks speculation plus updates on Jake DeBrusk, Claude Giroux, John Klingberg and more in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BLACKHAWKS UNDER NEW GM DAVIDSON?

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers suggested Kyle Davidson, the Chicago Blackhawks’ new full-time general manager, should attempt to craft a trade package that will help the club gain a first-round pick in this year’s draft. The Hawks traded their first-rounder to the Columbus Blue Jackets last summer in the Seth Jones trade.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images)

Trade candidates could include free agents such as Marc-Andre Fleury, Dominik Kubalik, Calvin de Haan, Ryan Carpenter and Dylan Strome. Of these, only Fleury could fetch a first-rounder but goalies are difficult to trade. In Fleury’s case, the Blackhawks intend to honor the promise made by former GM Stan Bowman giving the netminder total control over whether and where he goes.

Davidson’s intent to rebuild also raises questions over the futures of long-time Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Both have a year remaining on their contracts. Will one or both be re-signed and if so, will they be on long- or short-term deals?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin also weighed in on those factors. He thinks Davidson should try to convince Kane, who’s still a star, to stick with the rebuilding club as they try to build around Jones, Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports it sounds like Fleury might not be inclined to move by the trade deadline and seems to be leaning toward finishing the season in Chicago. The 37-year-old goalie could change his mind if a Stanley Cup contender comes calling. If he prefers to stay, however, it will rob the Blackhawks of a valuable bargaining chip leading up to the March 21 trade deadline.

There’s been some speculation suggesting the Blackhawks could listen to offers for Alex DeBrincat. However, I’m in agreement with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who said he’d be surprised if the Hawks traded the 24-year-old scoring winger. They need a player like him to build around.

DEBRUSK STILL WANTS TO BE TRADED

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports agent Rick Valette, who represents Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk, said his client’s trade demand made back in November still stands. Valette also said he’s spoken with other clubs (with the Bruins’ permission) to let them know they’re willing to negotiate a contract extension if it will facilitate a trade.

DeBrusk, 25, is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. LeBrun said interested clubs are concerned about the $4.4 million qualifying offer it would take to retain his rights after this season. He speculates perhaps an agreement on an extension at a cheaper price might send everyone home happy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeBrusk’s performance has improved in recent games after being moved up to the club’s top line in what was considered an attempt by management to showcase him for a trade. That may have improved his trade value but could also make him valuable to the Bruins as they push to secure a playoff berth. They could decide to retain him if they don’t get any suitable offers now and then try to trade him in the offseason.

LATEST FLYERS SPECULATION

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux has yet to tell management he’s ready to waive his no-movement clause. LeBrun believes things could pick up next week. He indicated the Flyers have told teams Giroux could arguably be the most impactful player at this year’s trade deadline. That means it could be expensive to acquire him, perhaps a first-round, a young player, and a prospect or two assets of higher quality.

Darren Dreger reports Rasmus Ristolainen’s fate could be decided as early as this week. There will be contract talks between his agent and Flyers management but he could be shopped if the contract doesn’t make sense for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers can set that high price for Giroux and they might get it. However, the closer we get to the deadline the more they risk driving interested parties toward other cheaper options. Whatever return the Flyers get isn’t going to make their fans happy. It’ll be a big win if they can get a first-rounder, a quality prospect and a promising young player.

TRADE RUMOR TIDBITS FROM FRIEDMAN’S LATEST “32 THOUGHTS”

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the San Jose Sharks are “taking its run at keeping Tomas Hertl.

Friedman sees Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg landing with the Seattle Kraken either at the trade deadline or as a free agent this summer.

Florida Panthers center Noel Acciari could be an under-the-radar name to watch as the trade deadline approaches.