NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2024

by | Apr 24, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2024

The latest on Pavel Buchnevich, Trevor Zegras and Brock Faber plus updates on the Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Kraken in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE BLUES

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman reported the St. Louis Blues are expected to “try and extend” Pavel Buchnevich. The 29-year-old winger will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buchnevich was the subject of trade speculation leading up to the March deadline. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong wasn’t actively shopping the winger but set a high asking price for clubs that came calling about him.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich (NHL Images)

Buchnevich carries an average annual value of $5.8 million with a 12-team no-trade list. He’s been a reliable scorer for the retooling Blues, netting over 25 goals and 60 points per season since his acquisition from the New York Rangers in 2021.

It could cost the Blues an AAV of $8 million on a long-term deal to keep Buchnevich in the fold. He’ll be 30 when that new contract begins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Lou Korac reported the solid goaltending of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer kept the Blues in the playoff race until the final week of the regular season.

They formed one of this season’s best goalie tandems. It’s the one area of the Blues roster that is the least of their worries going forward. The duo also have a good relationship and push each other in the right areas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m mentioning this because Binnington was the subject of some season-ending trade chatter because of his improved play and calmer demeanor. Based on Korac’s report, it’s unlikely the Blues intend to break up this tandem.

DUCKS FACING A DECISION ON ZEGRAS?

Friedman noted that Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras had eight points in his last 10 games. Sorting out his future could be “the most fascinating summer decision in the NHL”.

The Ducks challenged Zegras to show them something when he returned from injury and he did. However, Friedman believes there’s “a nagging sense not everyone’s comfortable with each other here”, referring to the relationship between the Zegras camp and general manager Pat Verbeek.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reported Zegras has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens in speculation stretching back to midseason. The young forward said he’s seen it and it’s taken some of the fun out of social media for him. He also hasn’t spoken to Verbeek about it.

Stephens also noted that Zegras sees the composition of the Ducks and wonders where he fits into the picture and the club’s plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rumors about Zegras will likely persist, especially after Verbeek said he’ll be shopping for a top-six right-shot forward and a top-four right-shot defenseman in the offseason. He could use the young winger as a trade chip to address one of those needs in the trade market.

UPDATE ON THE WILD

Friedman believes the Minnesota Wild will throw Jake Sanderson money at Brock Faber following the rookie defenseman’s stellar performance this season. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would be an eight-year, $64 million contract with an AAV of $8.05 million. Don’t be surprised if it ends up being close to $9 million annually.

Filip Gustavsson wonders if he’s going to be traded.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild re-signing Marc-Andre Fleury to a one-year deal could set the stage for a Gustavsson trade if they believe Jesper Wallstedt is NHL-ready.

The Wild’s priority could be to find more scoring help for superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. He’s two years away from UFA eligibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild currently have just $5.9 million in projected cap space with 19 active roster players under contract next season. Trading Gustavsson and his $3.75 million cap hit for next season could help provide some additional wiggle room to add another scoring forward.

LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS, CANADIENS AND KRAKEN

Friedman noted the Columbus Blue Jackets took a hard look at veteran centers earlier this season. He wondered if that might still be a priority.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It should be, the Jackets have lacked skilled depth at center for a long time.

Turning to the Canadiens, Friedman anticipates they’ll attempt to sign winger Juraj Slafkovsky and defenseman Kaiden Guhle to contract extensions.

Friedman noted the recent speculation about Dave Hakstol’s future as the Seattle Kraken’s head coach. He’ll be shocked if Hakstol is fired. “That’s not (GM) Ron Francis’ way, and the coach was rewarded after last season’s playoff win with an extension.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Francis left open the possibility of some changes behind the bench in his recent remarks to the media about his offseason plans. He’s said he’s still examining what happened with his team this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 23, 2024

by | Apr 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 23, 2024

A roundup of recent speculation involving the 16 non-playoff clubs in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup.

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark recently looked at what went wrong for the 16 NHL teams eliminated from playoff contention and their potential plans to address their problems in the offseason.

The Anaheim Ducks will have a projected salary cap space of $34 million next season. They could use some of that to strengthen their core.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are a young team with promising talent but could use some seasoned depth to help them.

Looking at the former Arizona Coyotes who are moving to Utah, they could use their salary-cap space to replicate what they did in free agency last summer. Part of that was parlaying their cap space into trades with cap-strapped clubs while signing UFAs to one-year contracts knowing they can move them if necessary at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Bill Armstrong had to go that route last summer because he was dealing with an owner who gave him a shoestring budget. His club’s new owner, Ryan Smith, could be willing to spend to the cap this summer. That could enable Armstrong to pursue more talented players who could improve the club’s long-term fortunes.

Turning to the Buffalo Sabres, there’s a critical need for veteran depth, and consistent players at that.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres GM Kevyn Adams could look at adding a scoring forward after his club’s production declined this season. It’ll be interesting to see how their hiring Lindy Ruff as their head coach affects Adams’ plans.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).

The Calgary Flames have eight picks in the first four rounds of this year’s draft. They could use those picks to strengthen their farm system or to acquire some veteran help. It depends on how management approaches things.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames GM Craig Conroy insists he’s retooling rather than rebuilding his roster. He could use some of those picks to bolster his prospect pool and others as trade bait to add a veteran or two.

The Chicago Blackhawks are another team with draft capital to use as trade bait to bring in some immediate help. They have five picks in their first two rounds and seven in the first three of this year’s draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks are rebuilding but management has indicated they want to take steps forward next season. That could include signing one or two veteran free agents to provide additional depth in experience and leadership for their young players. It could also include going the trade route as well.

Hiring a new general manager is the priority for the Columbus Blue Jackets. That new GM must decide if the Jackets will pursue a full rebuild or attempt to build around their core of young talent. They’ll also have to decide what to do with Elvis Merzlikins, who could use a change of scenery after making noises about requesting a trade in January.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Merzlikins has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. The Jackets will have to retain some salary to move him.

Goaltending is an issue the Detroit Red Wings must address. Ville Husso and Alex Lyons each have a year left on their contracts. Shilton wondered if GM Steve Yzerman might attempt to trade Husso and target someone else to work with Lyon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Several notable goaltenders such as Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, the Boston Bruins’ Linus Ullmark and the Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros could be available in this summer’s trade market. Maybe Yzerman will take a stab at acquiring one of them.

Buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter continues to hamper the Minnesota Wild’s efforts to build up their roster. They have limited cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Clark wrote this anticipating goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury would depart as an unrestricted free agent with Jesper Wallstedt replacing him. Fleury’s re-signing has instead sparked speculation over Filip Gustavsson’s future in Minnesota.

The Montreal Canadiens are expected to be busy at this year’s draft. They had 12 picks (including two first-rounders) that they can use to continue restocking their prospect pipeline or as trade bait for players who will have a more immediate impact.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has acknowledged his club’s need for more scoring forwards. It wouldn’t be surprising if he used one of his two first-rounders packaged with one of his many promising defensemen to address that issue.

Goaltending is among the New Jersey Devils’ major needs. They need a wide search for someone with a veteran pedigree as their starting goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: GM Tom Fitzgerald acquired seasoned backup Jake Allen at the trade deadline. He made no secret of his intent to pursue a high-quality starter. Markstrom, Ullmark and Saros will be high on his list of offseason trade targets.

Speaking of goaltending, that’s also an area the Ottawa Senators must address. Shilton also wondered if they’ll trade Thomas Chabot or Jakob Chychrun this summer. Both are left-shot defensemen and the Senators need right-shot depth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears the Senators intend to return with their goalie tandem of Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg, hoping they’ll improve in the offseason. Chychrun could be moved instead of Chabot given the latter’s long-term contract.

The Philadelphia Flyers could also look at improving their goaltending. Most of their improvements could come from within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyer GM Daniel Briere said last year that he’s rebuilding his roster. He is sticking with that long-term plan despite his club exceeding expectations this season. Briere is open to hockey trades that make sense for his club. However, it doesn’t sound like he’s interested in pursuing big-ticket free agents or making a blockbuster move.

Turning to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Shilton wondered what they’d do with their goalie tandem of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. Jarry struggled down the stretch and was supplanted by Nedeljkovic. She also believes the Penguins have no choice but to get younger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After this was published, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Sullivan gave Jarry a vote of confidence as their starter. It also appears Nedeljkovic will depart as a UFA on July 1.

The San Jose Sharks have a projected cap space of $38 million next season. That should allow this rebuilding club the flexibility to address their weak points. They could opt to sign veterans on one-year contracts that they can flip for draft picks at the trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: GM Mike Grier acknowledged this season was a low point for his club and they don’t want to go through that again. The rebuild will continue but they need to add some veterans who can help their young players develop and improve.

As for the Seattle Kraken, the cost of re-signing forward Matty Beniers could affect their offseason plans. They could use some of their cap space to bolster their scoring.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: GM Ron Francis acknowledged the decline in his club’s production this season. Improvement could come from within if Beniers and Andre Burakovsky have bounce-back seasons. Still, Francis could shop around in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets for a scoring forward.

Salary cap space was an issue last summer for the St. Louis Blues. They carry four defensemen with no-trade clauses. There’s also the discussion of whether they can get Pavel Buchnevich signed to a contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues have a projected $15.4 million available next season with 17 active roster players under contract. Blueliners Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, Torey Krug and Nick Leddy eat up $23 million of their cap space and all have no-trade clauses. GM Doug Armstrong attempted to trade Krug last summer to the Flyers but the defensemen spiked the deal. It’ll be interesting to see if he tries moving one of those rearguards again this summer.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2024

by | Apr 15, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 15, 2024

Where could Steven Stamkos go if he and the Lightning part ways this summer? Could the Canadiens attempt to trade Mike Matheson in the offseason? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill. 

POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR STEVEN STAMKOS AS A FREE AGENT

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston and Joe Smith recently examined what comes next for Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning following this season. 

In the final season of his eight-year contract, Stamkos has spent his 16-season NHL career in Tampa Bay. The 34-year-old Lightning captain’s production has declined but he remains a point-per-game player. 

Stamkos raised eyebrows last September when he expressed disappointment over a lack of contract extension talks last summer. General manager Julien BriseBois insisted he wants to re-sign his captain and have him finish his career with the Lightning. 

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

Johnston and Smith believe Stamkos will draw plenty of suitors if he heads to free agency. The Florida Panthers (the Lightning’s in-state rivals) have been known to swing big. Stamkos could fit in well with the Nashville Predators alongside former Lightning teammates Ryan McDonagh and Luke Schenn. 

Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn said his team has plenty of cap space and he’ll start recruiting his former teammate if the Lightning don’t re-sign him. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I expect Stamkos and the Lightning will work something out that keeps him in Tampa Bay for the remainder of his NHL career. Nevertheless, we can’t discount the possibility that he hits the open market on July 1. 

I don’t see Stamkos signing with the Panthers nor do I expect they’ll pursue him. They’re focused on re-signing Sam Reinhart, eating up a big chunk of their projected cap space of $20 million. 

The Predators would have more cap flexibility as they don’t have any big-name players to re-sign this summer. Goaltender Juuse Saros has been the subject of trade rumors and moving him would free up more space. Still, adding a star in his mid-thirties might not be what the Predators have in mind at this stage. I could see it if they were poised to be a Stanley Cup contender.

As for the Ducks, they could easily afford Stamkos but he might not be keen to join a rebuilding club at this point in his career. 

Since we’re just spitballing here, how about Stamkos signing with the Salt Lake City Coyotes? Or whatever name they’ll be called. They’ve got lots of cap room, he would be their most well-known player and an excellent leader for a team brimming with young talent looking to take the next step. 

LATEST CANADIENS SPECULATION

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan was asked what the return would be for the Canadiens to part with Mike Matheson. He replied he’d be shocked if GM Kent Hughes moved the 30-year-old defenseman, who has two seasons remaining on his contract at a reasonable cap hit of $4.875 million. 

Matheson plays a leadership role with the rebuilding Canadiens. With 51 assists, he’s only the sixth defenseman in franchise history to net 50 assists in a season. Cowan believes they need his veteran presence on their blueline. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Agreed. I understand why some Canadiens fans believe their rebuilding club should peddle Matheson while his trade value is high. However, Cowan is correct in his assessment of Matheson’s invaluable leadership and experience that he brings to the young Canadiens defense corps. 

Cowan was also asked about “a certain TSN insider” speculating Columbus Blue Jackets presence John Davidson might reach out to Jeff Gorton to see if he’d be interested in becoming president/GM of the Blue Jackets. Gorton is the Canadiens executive VP of hockey operations. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gorton is under contract with the Canadiens until 2026. He’d need the blessing of team owner Geoff Molson to speak with the Blue Jackets. I don’t see Molson doing that. For that matter, I doubt that Gorton is interested in leaving the Canadiens.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 10, 2024

Check out the latest on the Canadiens and Flyers in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE CANADIENS

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels noted the Montreal Canadiens’ ongoing need for scoring depth following their 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A healthy Kirby Dach and improving young players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook should help the Canadiens’ offense next season. Nevertheless, Engels believes general manager Kent Hughes must use his plethora of defensemen and draft picks as trade bait to bolster their scoring punch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes acknowledged the need for more scoring following last month’s trade deadline. He hinted that he could be a buyer again at the draft. He acquired Dach during the first round of the 2022 draft and Newhook the day before the opening round of last year’s draft.

Dach and Newhook are promising players yet to reach their potential. The Canadiens need one or two established scorers, preferably in their mid-to-late twenties who can fit into the club’s long-term plans.

TVA SPORTS: Jean-Charles Lajoie and Tony Marinaro believe the Canadiens should part ways with struggling winger Josh Anderson.

Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson (NHL Images).

Lajoie believes the Canadiens cannot bring back Anderson next season. He suggests retaining 50 percent of his $5.5 million annual average value or buying out the remaining three years of his deal.

Failing that, Marinaro recommends Anderson start next season with their AHL affiliate in Laval. He pointed out they did the same thing this season with Joel Armia, whose performance improved after spending eight games with their farm team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what Hughes has in store for Anderson, whose production fell from 21 goals in 2022-23 to just nine this season. The 29-year-old winger carries an eight-team no-trade list this season and a five-team no-trade for the remainder of the contract.

The Canadiens will have over $19 million in cap space (factoring in Carey Price’s $10.5 million on permanent LTIR) for 2024-25. Still, Hughes might not want to carry six years of dead cap space on his books, especially if he’s got plans to bring in a scorer or two this summer.

Buying out Anderson would only count as over $222K next season, climbing to $2.22 million in 2025-26 and $3.72 million in 2026-27 before dropping to $1.72 million in each of the final three seasons. Even with a rising cap, that’s a long time to carry that buyout on the books.

Retaining half his salary would be a better option but it’s still $2.75 million in dead cap space per season for three years. The best move could be to keep Anderson for another season, see if his production improves, and decide his future afterward.

ARE CHANGES IN STORE FOR THE FLYERS IF THEY MISS THE PLAYOFFS?

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz wondered if there could be offseason repercussions for the Philadelphia Flyers if they miss the playoffs. Having held a postseason berth for most of the season, the struggling Flyers are in danger of failing to clinch a spot.

The Flyers could go into next season with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov as their goalie tandem, depending on the latter’s contract talks. However, it’s not settled that they’re good enough to carry the club into the playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carter Hart’s absence from the Flyers contributed to their slide down the standings in recent weeks. Ersson’s done his best to fill the void but wasn’t meant to carry such a heavy workload at this early stage of his NHL career. After being forced to spend the past two seasons in the KHL, Fedotov has only three games of NHL experience and came in a couple of weeks ago under unusual circumstances.

With Hart’s future in the NHL cloudy, the Flyers could bring in a veteran backup for Ersson if Fedotov isn’t re-signed before July 1.

Kurz also cited hockey analyst Doug MacLean speculating that Flyers head coach John Tortorella could move into a management role next season.

MacLean claimed Tortorella requested a transition to management during his final season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen declined and Tortorella left at the end of the season.

If Tortorella took a management role, Kurz wondered if assistant coach Brad Shaw or Rocky Thompson would take over as head coach. He also noted that former St. Louis Blues bench boss Craig Berube is tight with Flyers president Keith Jones.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin sets a scoring record, Auston Matthews reaches another goal milestone, hat trick performances by Nathan MacKinnon, Steven Stamkos and Juraj Slafkovsky, and the Predators clinch a playoff berth. The details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set an NHL scoring record in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal plateau 18 times. The Capitals improved to 37-30-11 and regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season for the Red Wings, who slipped to 38-32-8 to sit one point back of the Capitals.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin had a slow start to this season with just nine goals in 44 games before the All-Star Break. He’s had 21 goals in his last 31 games. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp suffered a broken cheekbone after being struck by a high stick by Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel. No penalty was called on the play.

Auston Matthews is the only active NHL player to score 66 goals in a season as his Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and collected an assist for the Leafs (46-23-9) as they sit ninth in the overall standings with 101 points. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (37-37-5) as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is also the first player in the salary-cap era to exceed 65 goals. With four games remaining in the regular season, he has time to become the first player in 31 years to reach 70 goals. Meanwhile, Devils star Jack Hughes missed this game and will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s been that kind of season for the Devils as they struggled through a disappointing follow-up to last season’s promising performance.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied a hat trick to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had three points for the 49-24-6 Avalanche as they sit sixth overall with 104 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the 37-32-9 Wild, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 137 points, MacKinnon sits two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With 51 goals, he’s the fourth player to reach 50 this season.

Speaking of hat tricks, Steven Stamkos scored three goals to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Kucherov picked up three assists to lead the scoring race with 139 points for the Lightning (44-27-7), who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 95 points. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 39 goals, Stamkos is poised to reach the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time. The Lightning extended their points streak to six games and are 11-2-1 in their last 14 contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky potted his first career NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each scored two goals for the Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Erik Johnson collected two points each for the Flyers, who slipped to 36-32-11 (83 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He had similar surgery last season on his right shoulder. Meanwhile, the Flyers are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2), leaving head coach John Tortorella somberly observing his club has reached “rock bottom.” They overachieved for most of this season but are running out of gas as the schedule winds down.

The Nashville Predators dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets but picked up a point to clinch a playoff berth. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and Connor Hellebucyk kicked out 45 shots for the Jets (48-24-6), as they sit in eighth place in the overall standings with 102 points. Predators captain Roman Josi collected assists on goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O’Reilly as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. With a record of 45-29-5, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard with 95 points.

A three-goal first period powered the New York Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson picked up two points each and Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for the 36-27-15 Islanders, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (53-22-4) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was furious following the game over a pair of what he deemed “vicious hits” on forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The hit on Zibanejad appeared to be accidental but the one on Trocheck was deliberately hit from behind by Dobson. Both players escaped injury but Zibanejad was shaken up after the collision with Adam Pelech.

The Dallas Stars moved to within one point of the league-leading Rangers by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for his eighth straight win while Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Joe Pavelski scored for the 50-20-9 Stars. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres set the NHL record for the longest playoff drought. Buffalo is a great hockey town but their fans continue to be disappointed by years of mismanagement and bad coaching.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied a lacrosse-style goal and collected an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis also scored for the 50-22-7 Hurricanes (107 points), who moved ahead of the Bruins into third place in the overall standings. Charlie McAvoy replied for the 46-18-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the third straight season the Hurricanes have reached the 50-win mark.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for the shutout. Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins were the goal scorers as the Panthers improved to 49-24-6 and sit seventh overall with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators will finish the schedule on a high note in terms of attendance. Despite another disappointing season, they enjoyed the fourth-highest change in attendance (5.9 percent). They’ve played to 95 percent capacity, averaging 17,536.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras were the goal scorers. Akil Thomas netted the only goal for the 41-26-11 Kings (93 points) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division.

The Seattle Kraken blanked the Arizona Coyotes 5-0. Philipp Grubauer made 39 saves while Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand each picked up two assists. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 decision over the San Jose Sharks. Kuzmenko and Nazem Kadri each had two points for the Flames. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 37 shots for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The club recalled forward Dylan Holloway as McDavid will decide if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. His injury is not the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Nevertheless, the priority for the Oilers is to ensure their captain is healthy for the upcoming playoffs. They have six games left in the regular season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2024

by | Apr 5, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – April 5, 2024

Is Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry playing his way out of Pittsburgh? Should the Canadiens try to contact big-name free agents this summer? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SHOULD THE PENGUINS MOVE ON FROM TRISTAN JARRY?

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: A reader asked Paul Zeise what he felt the future held for Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. “He does just enough each year to make you believe he’s finally going to be a solid NHL goaltender, only to revert back to form by season’s end.”

Zeise believes Jarry’s situation will be interesting to watch unfold. He thinks there’s a difference in the 28-year-old netminder’s value at the trade deadline and his value now because he hasn’t played well lately.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

Jarry’s contract will be an issue as he’s “locked up for a decent amount of money over the next several years.” If the Penguins trade him, they won’t get a good return. If they keep him, they’ll be on the hook for a goalie who hasn’t played up to his contract.

Alex Nedeljkovic has outplayed Jarry in recent weeks. However, he can become an unrestricted free agent this summer and may have played his way out of town.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Last summer was the time to move on from Jarry when he was UFA-eligible. Incoming Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas signed him to a five-year extension with an average annual value of $5.375 million.

Jarry made Dubas look good earlier this season, stealing his fair share of games for the inconsistent Penguins. In his first 40 games, he had a record of 17-18-4 with a .912 save percentage and six shutouts. There were a few stinkers in there but he still played well for the most part. In his last 10 games, however, he has a 2-6-1 record with a save percentage of .870.

I don’t see the Penguins finding any takers for Jarry when this summer’s trade market could feature such notable goalies as Boston’s Linus Ullmark, Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom and Nashville’s Juuse Saros.

SHOULD THE CANADIENS LOOK INTO SIGNING A BIG-NAME FREE AGENT?

TVA SPORTS: Tony Marinaro believes the Montreal Canadiens must look into the availability of this summer’s notable unrestricted free agents.

He thinks the Canadiens are interested in speaking with all the free agents to find out what they think of Montreal and to sell them on their rebuilding project.

Marinaro doesn’t think older UFA stars like the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos and the Vegas Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault would fit well with a Canadiens team transitioning towards young players. He also believes they would be too expensive, with Stamkos likely to command $10 million annually on a four or five-year contract and Marchessault getting between $35 million and $40 million on a five-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed that the Canadiens will search for a scoring forward this summer. However, they’re not pursuing older stars like Stamkos and Marchessault. I don’t see either player spending their final NHL seasons with a rebuilding team.

The best younger UFA options are Florida’s Sam Reinhart (28) and Carolina’s Jake Guentzel (29). Reinhart could re-sign with the Panthers while Guentzel could prefer signing with a contender. They’re also going to be too expensive for the Canadiens.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes could look to free agency for one or two affordable depth additions. He’ll likely turn to the trade market for a scorer, preferably a forward in their mid-twenties who would fit in well with the Habs’ youth movement.