NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 8, 2023

Spencer Knight to take part in the Panthers development camp, “Spittin’ Chiclets” hosts criticize Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, the latest free-agent signings and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight’s road to returning to the Panthers next season will go through the club’s upcoming prospect development camp.

Knight, 22, missed the final months of the Panthers’ 2022-23 season after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The three-year NHL veteran has been granted a special provision to take part in their prospect development camp to get in some on-ice work.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (NHL Images).

Expected to join the Panthers for training camp in September, Knight will have to compete for the backup goaltender spot with recently-signed Anthony Stolarz. His new three-year contract ($4.5 million average annual value) began on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knight was considered Panthers starter Sergei Bobrovsky’s successor but struggled last season before going into the player assistance program. While his contract suggests he’s got the backup job locked up, he’ll still have to outperform Stolarz in training camp and preseason play.

NEW YORK POST: “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast hosts Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney are not fans of the offseason moves made by New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello.

I think the Islanders are going to be f**king horrible,” said Whitney. Bissonnette, meanwhile, was critical of Lamoriello bringing back Semyon Varlamov, Scott Mayfield and Pierre Engvall on long-term contracts.

He has checked the f**k out,” said Bissonette of Lamoriello. “The Islanders are going to get relegated this season, that’s how bad they’re going to be.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: What say you, Islanders fans? Do you agree or disagree with BizNasty and Whitney? Let us know in the comments below.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Seattle Kraken avoided arbitration with Will Borgen by signing the 26-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $5.4 million contract with an average annual value of $2.7 million. They also signed unrestricted free-agent forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a one-year, $775K contract.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed UFA forward Andreas Johnsson to a one-year, $800K contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas knows Johnsson well. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons, two of those during Dubas’ tenure as their general manager.

Speaking of the Penguins, they signed UFA forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $775K contract.

SPORTSNET: Adam Vingan looked at four of the best remaining bargain in this summer’s UFA market.

Winger Tomas Tatar topped the list following his 20-goal performance last season with the New Jersey Devils. He’s followed by former Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina, whose contract was terminated earlier this week.

Center Pius Suter and defenseman Caleb Jones round out Vingan’s list.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Stanley Cup has been engraved with 52 names of the Vegas Golden Knights 2022-23 championship roster. Twenty-six are players with the rest being ownership, coaches, trainers and management.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2021

Canadiens fire head coach Claude Julien, recaps of Tuesday’s games, the latest on Artemi Panarin, injury updates and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines

**UPDATE**

The Montreal Canadiens have fired head coach Claude Julien and assistant coach Kirk Muller. Assistant coach Dominique Ducharme has become interim head coach while Alex Burrows has joined the coaching staff.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After bursting from the gate with a 7-1-2 record the Canadiens were 2-6-2 and in danger of falling out of playoff contention in the North Division. General manager Marc Bergevin was busy in the offseason improving the roster. A coaching change was the next step. It’ll be interesting to see how the Habs respond to this move. 

Ducharme spent eight seasons coaching in the QMJHL, guiding the Halifax Mooseheads to the Memorial Cup in 2013. He was also a two-time bench boss of Canada’s World Junior team, coaching them to a gold medal in 2018. He joined the Habs’ coaching staff as an assistant later that year.  Following his NHL career, Burrows joined the Canadiens’ farm team in Laval as an assistant coach. 

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark made 41 saves in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, handing the latter their third straight loss. Buffalo winger Sam Reinhart collected two assists. Earlier in the day, the Sabres announced defenseman William Borgen will be sidelined up to two months following surgery on Tuesday to repair a broken right forearm.

The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their third straight win by edging the Washington Capitals 3-2. Kasperi Kapanen tallied the winner in overtime as he and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist. It was a costly win for the Penguins as Jason Zucker and Kris Letang left the game with injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker’s injury looked serious as he had to be helped off the ice after crashing awkwardly into the boards. An update on both players could be made later today.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

Patrick Kane scored his 398th career goal and collected three assists as the Chicago Blackhawks nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-5. Alex DeBrincat tallied the game-winner in a shootout while Carl Soderberg had three points for the Hawks. Patrik Laine and Oliver Bjorkstrand each scored twice for the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is playing his way into the Hart Memorial Trophy conversation. He’s the engine driving a Blackhawks team that wasn’t expected to be a playoff contender this season. They’re third in the Discover Central Division with 24 points, two behind the first-place Florida Panthers.

Shootout goals by Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris gave the Ottawa Senators a 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last eight games. Brady Tkachuk tallied twice for the Senators, including the game-tying goal after the Canadiens overcame a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead. Shea Weber tallied twice for the Habs. Senators center Derek Stepan left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher wasn’t happy after his apparent game-winning goal in the dying seconds of regulation was overturned by what he considered a questionable goaltender interference call. Regardless of the validity of Gallagher’s complaint, the Canadiens once again struggled against the worst team in the league. The loss led to today’s firing of Claude Julien as head coach. 

Pekka Rinne had a 24-save shutout as the Nashville Predators blanked the Detroit Red Wings 2-0. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist as both goals came in the third period.

The Edmonton Oilers scored four unanswered goals (three in the third period) to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Dominik Kahun tallied twice and Leon Draisaitl collected three assists for the Oilers. Canucks center Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Four of Artemi Panarin’s former KHL teammates dispute their former coach’s claim the New York Rangers winger assaulted a young woman in Riga, Latvia in 2011. The allegation by former Vityaz coach Andrei Nazarov forced Panarin to take a leave of absence from the Rangers. Nazarov, a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has publicly criticized Panarin in the past for his outspoken views of the Putin regime.

Larry Brooks reports there’s been no corroboration thus far of Nazarov’s account. Sources say the NHL hasn’t opened an independent investigation and has no intention of doing so due to the lack of credible evidence. There’s no timeline for Panarin’s absence. A source refuted a report the winger sought and was granted two weeks. He remains at his Connecticut home.

Brooks cites a source claiming Nazarov didn’t have a good relationship with Panarin when the winger played for him. Another suggested Nazarov was trying to curry favor with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation in hope of being rewarded with a coaching job.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some have wondered why Panarin needs to take time away from the Rangers after claiming Nazarov’s accusation is baseless. He still has family in Russia and is apparently concerned about the effect of this story on them.

Nazarov reportedly claimed Panarin was detained by local police officials and there were a criminal case and trial. That should be easily verified by local records but nothing has been produced thus far to back up that claim.

SPORTSNET: Henrik Lundqvist is back on the ice less than two months after undergoing open-heart surgery. He was in full gear taking shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No indication if this means a return to action for Lundqvist is in the near future. Nevertheless, it’s great to see him back on the ice again as he continues his recovery.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers captain Claude Giroux returned to practice yesterday for the first time after testing positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago. The Flyers will evaluate him in practice today to determine if he’ll face the Rangers tonight. Teammates Jakub Voracek, Travis Konecny, Oskar Lindblom, Scott Laughton and Justin Braun remain on the COVID protocol list.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen has been sidelined indefinitely by a concussion. He suffered the injury during last Friday’s game against the Blackhawks.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson suffered a season-ending knee injury during Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Kings. It could also end his tenure with the Blues as he’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

NHL.COM: The league released another update to its schedule to account for games previously postponed by COVID-19 protocols and recent winter storms in Texas.