NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 3, 2025

by | Sep 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 3, 2025

The postseason salary cap will be implemented for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, plus the latest on Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Canucks winger Evander Kane, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle reports the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) have agreed to a rolling implementation of the new rules in the four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that they signed in June.

League sources claim the postseason salary cap will be implemented for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Teams will be limited to playing with a 20-man roster that is cap-compliant for each playoff game.

The rule brings an end to the practice of teams stashing players on long-term injury reserve and using the salary-cap savings to add players before the playoffs. It also means a player’s full-season salary will be used to calculate if a team is cap-compliant for the playoffs, even if they were only on the team for a short period during the regular season.

This change means accruing salary-cap space becomes a less-effective tool because it won’t benefit a team in the playoffs.

Teams can still retain salary to facilitate a trade, but the new rules also affect most double-retention deals where a third team is involved. That will make freeing up salary-cap space before the trade deadline more complicated.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mirtle points out that these changes will make it more difficult for general managers to make trades during the season. Some will be forced to become more creative to find a loophole.

Mirtle also noted that the rise in the salary cap to $95.5 million provides most clubs with more cap flexibility to make moves compared to the pandemic-induced flat cap in recent years.

PUCKPEDIA: Other notable rules that will be implemented this season include no deferred salary compensation (effective Oct. 7, 2025) and a restriction on paper loans, which is when a player is assigned to a club’s minor-league affiliate but doesn’t actually report there.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples cited Jeff Jackson’s appearance on “Oilers Now” to address the rumors about the Oilers’ contract negotiations with Connor McDavid.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

Jackson is the CEO of Hockey Operations for the Oilers. He told “Oilers Now” host Bob Stauffer that they remain confident of getting a deal with McDavid. He indicated the term of the contract is still an issue.

“It’s not as straightforward sometimes as people would like to be,” Jackson said. “He’s just taking his time.”

The Oilers captain is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He recently raised eyebrows by saying he wouldn’t have a problem with starting this season without a contract extension.

Jackson stated that McDavid wasn’t looking to break the bank to make as much money as he could. “He wants to find the razor’s edge where he gets paid for the star player that he is, that allows the team to surround himself with the best players that we possibly can, gives us options to do that beyond next year, so all that comes into his thinking.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Staples believes McDavid is taking his time to study all the details and approach this from all angles for a deal that benefits him and the team.

The Oilers are willing to accommodate whatever contract terms McDavid desires. If he seeks a league-leading average annual value of $20 million on an eight-year deal, he’ll get it. However, Jackson’s comments suggest McDavid could seek a little less than top dollar on a shorter term.

Bold prediction: McDavid signs a five-year extension before the start of this season with an AAV of $18 million. Feel free to weigh in with your predictions in the comments section below.

NESN: David Pastrnak said he and the Boston Bruins teammates expect improvement over last season’s disappointing performance.

“Expectations are always the same here. You play for an Original Six, they are always high and they always will be,” said Pastrnak. “We won’t accept what happened last year. The team that’s going to dress in October is going to be very competitive.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Being more competitive is a good thing, but the depletion of their roster depth in recent years could make it difficult to bounce back as a playoff contender this season.

THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma wonders if the addition of Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks’ roster will help center Elias Pettersson regain his high-scoring form. Kane is “big, fast, and nasty”, whose style of play could create more time and space for the playmaking Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane is 34 and was hampered by injuries during the last two seasons. He also has a reputation for wearing out his welcome with his teammates. Kuzma pointed out that Kane is in his contract year and expects it to provide the veteran winger with additional motivation to play well this season.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames have brought back former captain and assistant coach Dave Lowry. He’ll replace former assistant coach Brad Larsen.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Former Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere is reportedly joining the New York Islanders as a pro scout. Laperriere had been moved from the Phantoms coaching job in an advisory role with the Flyers earlier this year.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs signed young goaltender Dennis Hildeby to a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $841,667. It’s a two-way deal for the first two seasons, becoming a one-way deal for 2027-28.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2025

by | Sep 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 2, 2025

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes could become a Hart Trophy candidate, three Flyers with the most to gain or lose this season, the latest on Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Andre Leal considered the possibility of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes becoming the first defenseman in 26 years to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player to his team.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hall-of-Famer Chris Pronger was the last blueliner to win the Hart Trophy (1999-2000). Brent Burns came the closest to winning the award since then, finishing fourth in voting during the 2016-17 season with the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks failed to make the playoffs last season, but have Hughes to thank for staying in the race until late in the season. Leal believes the 25-year-old blueliner could win the Hart this season if he leads the Canucks to the playoffs while producing at the same rate that he did in 2023-24, when he had a career-high 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A strong case could be made for Hughes as a Hart contender if the season unfolds like Leal’s scenario. The Canucks’ roster isn’t as deep as it was two years ago, so leading this current group in the postseason while producing over 90 points would be an MVP-worthy performance.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James looks at three Philadelphia Flyers with the most to gain or lose this season.

Sophomore winger Matvei Michkov has the most to gain. The budding scoring star should flourish under new head coach Rick Tocchet this season, seeing more playing time and with better linemates than he had during his rookie campaign.

Veteran winger Travis Konecny has the most to lose. The 28-year-old is entering the first season of his eight-year contract and will face pressure to live up to it.

Trevor Zegras has the biggest opportunity this season. The 24-year-old forward joins the Flyers after struggling during the past two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. He has the chance to play top-six minutes at the center position with Michkov, Konecny, Tyson Foerster, or Owen Tippett as his potential linemates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers are rebuilding, and the performance of those three will determine their potential improvement this season. Michkov’s stock as an offensive star should keep rising, while Konecny should remain a feisty first-line winger and leader. Zegras could face the most pressure as he attempts to get his career back on track.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is rising up a list on the Red Wings that no player wants to sit atop.

Larkin has played 734 regular-season games with the Red Wings, putting him on track to play the most games for the franchise without winning the Stanley Cup. The franchise leader in that category is Norm Ullman (875), followed by Nick Libett (861) and Justin Abdelkader (739).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s only playoff appearance was in 2016, when he played five games. The Red Wings captain has endured nine years of a difficult roster rebuild that seems to have stalled over the past two seasons. Unless the Wings make significant improvement, Larkin will set the franchise record for most games without winning the Cup.

RG.ORG: Former NHL head coach Gerard Gallant is embracing the challenge of coaching in the KHL. He was hired this summer as bench boss of the rebranded Shanghai Dragons, now based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Gallant intends to run a North American “support-and-forecheck” style. The Dragons’ goal is to win now and build a fanbase for a possible return to China.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A good performance by the Dragons this season could be a springboard for Gallant to rejoin the NHL coaching ranks.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber looked at where promising rookie winger Ryan Leonard will start in the Washington Capitals’ roster this season.

Leonard, 20, saw nine games of regular-season action and eight postseason contests last season. He could begin the season on the Capitals’ third line, though his potential linemates have yet to be determined.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2025

by | Aug 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 31, 2025

An update on Luke Hughes’ contract talks with the Devils, plus the latest on Canadiens defensemen Lane Hutson, Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald remains confident of getting Luke Hughes under contract soon.

The 21-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He is ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival team.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (NHL Images).

With training camp on the horizon, the lack of a new contract for Hughes has raised questions about the status of the negotiations. However, Fitzgerald seems unperturbed by the situation.

“We’ll just continue to talk and present each other with ideas,” Fitzgerald said. “Eventually, this will get done. The 11th hour is training camp, right? A lot of times, a lot of the stuff doesn’t get done until the 11th hour. We’re hoping we can get something done here in quick fashion, and both sides are working at it; that’s for sure.

Fitzgerald acknowledged that both sides hope to avoid a contract standoff like that of Devils’ forward Dawson Mercer last year. That deal wasn’t settled until after training camp began.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy cited NJ.COM’s Ryan Novozinsky reporting the Devils sought a maximum eight-year contract or a two-year bridge deal. However, the Hughes camp prefers a five-year deal that would take him to 2030, making him eligible for UFA status at the same time as his brother and teammate, Jack Hughes.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson said he and his teammates want to elevate their performance this season, especially after exceeding expectations by reaching the playoffs last season.

“We all know that it’s going to be hard, but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Hutson said.

The 5’9”, 162-pound Hutson won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year last season. He’s not concerned about adding weight, saying that he feels good where he is. Hutson indicated he has been trying different things during his offseason training to improve his play, including working on his shot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson said he’s not feeling any additional pressure following his Calder win and the club’s playoff appearance last year. Nevertheless, it will be there for him and his teammates. How they handle it will factor into whether they can build on last season’s promising performance.

THE PROVINCE: Jake DeBrusk found himself in an awkward position during his first season with the Vancouver Canucks, sitting between then-feuding centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller in the dressing room.

DeBrusk admitted Miller’s leave of absence for personal reasons last November was difficult. “That was the most intense. As a guy who had just met him, you hope he’s OK. You don’t know what’s going on. But everything happens for a reason.”

After getting to know and like Miller and Pettersson, DeBrusk sometimes felt like he was almost the middleman. He thinks it was unfortunate that the situation led to Miller’s trade to the New York Rangers in January.

DeBrusk acknowledged the club still hasn’t found a suitable replacement for Miller at center. However, he pointed out they should be stronger defensively with goaltender Thatcher Demko now healthy and an improved blueline.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: The Penguins announced last week that they’re relaunching their Hall of Fame with 10 new members over the next three seasons.

Players Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr, Chris Kunitz, Larry Murphy, and Kevin Stevens, and builders Scotty Bowman, Eddie Johnston, Jim Rutherford, and Ray Shero were selected for the honor.

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin listed the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets as the five teams that got noticeably weaker during the offseason.

Limited cap space saw the Avalanche shed depth from their roster. The Oilers are shallower than last season after parting ways with several experienced depth players. Blueline depth remains a concern for the Kings with the departures of Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence. The Leafs will feel the loss of all-star right winger Mitch Marner, while the Jets will miss winger Nikolaj Ehlers.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 27, 2025

by | Aug 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 27, 2025

Some speculation over Quinn Hughes’ future with the Canucks, and potential destinations for Carey Price’s contract in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: A reader recently asked James Mirtle if he saw the New Jersey Devils attempting to acquire Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to reunite him with his brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).

Hughes is signed through 2026-27. Mirtle thinks it would be only natural for the 25-year-old defenseman to wonder about his future in Vancouver if the Canucks can’t break through and win.

The Canucks could surprise with a bounce-back performance this season that convinces Hughes to stay, but Mirtle considers it unlikely. If they don’t, he thinks management will have to consider a blockbuster trade and what the return might look like.

As for the Devils, Mirtle speculated that they might consider making that commitment next summer if Hughes really wants to join his brothers. He observed that they have over $62 million in cap space for 2027-28 before accounting for Luke’s upcoming new contract, leaving plenty of room to sign Quinn to a massive extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season will be crucial in determining Quinn Hughes’ future with the Canucks. If they struggle this season, it will only stoke the trade rumors. Even if a deal isn’t possible with the Devils, there will be potential contenders with salary-cap space willing to acquire him and sign him to an expensive long-term extension next summer.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont looked at possible trade partners for the Canadiens to move the contract of Carey Price, who has been on permanent long-term injury reserve since 2022.

The Canadiens could retain Price’s contract and use LTIR to exceed the salary cap for the coming season, but they wouldn’t be able to accrue salary-cap space during the season. It would provide them with more cap flexibility if they could find a trade partner to take that contract off their books.

There is a year remaining on Price’s contract. The average annual value is $10.5 million, but he will make $7.5 million in actual salary for 2025-26, with $5.5 million paid as a signing bonus on Sept. 1. That would make his contract palatable for rebuilding teams to remain cap compliant without paying much in actual salary if they move pending UFA players by the March trade deadline.

Dumont suggests the Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, and Pittsburgh Penguins as three potential trade partners. The Canadiens would likely have to add “a mediocre draft pick” to the deal to sweeten the pot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The San Jose Sharks have also been mentioned as a trade partner.

Price has a full no-movement clause, but he won’t use it to block the Canadiens from trading his contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

by | Aug 26, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 26, 2025

The latest on Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, blueliner Tyson Barrie announced his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm believes his club must find what their culture will be under a new head coach and with the additions to the roster for the coming season.

Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (NHL Images)

Appearing last week on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Lindholm said he likes the Bruins’ young prospects, and he also believes they still have some really good veterans who know how to win in the NHL.

“We just need to figure out how to build around that,” Lindholm said. “People are going to underestimate us, but I’m very optimistic. I think we’ve got some good things ahead.

Lindholm, 31, missed most of last season with a broken patella. He spent most of his recovery watching the Bruins implode, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. He will be ready when training camp opens next month.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins hope to rebound from last season’s disappointing performance with a healthier roster and a bounce-back effort from starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman. How quickly they adjust to new coach Marco Sturm’s system will determine the outcome.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens forward Kirby Dach was on the ice testing his surgically repaired knee at the club’s training facility in Brossard on Monday. The 24-year-old center has missed 129 games since being acquired by the Canadiens in 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens hope that Dach might be ready for the start of the season or within the opening weeks of the campaign. However, they won’t rush his return to the lineup.

Dach was acquired to fill the Canadiens’ second-line center position. However, injuries have hampered his development, leaving that position a nagging issue for the rebuilding club.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Former Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie announced his retirement on Monday.

The 34-year-old spent eight of his 14 NHL seasons with the Avalanche from 2011-12 to 2018-19. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Calgary Flames.

During his career, Barrie had 110 goals and 398 assists for 508 points in 822 regular-season games, and 21 points in 47 playoff contests. The puck-moving blueliner had seven seasons with 41 or more points, including four seasons with over 50 points.

RG.ORG: Former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar revealed that family matters were behind his decision to depart the club earlier this year. He was invited to stay on as the Canucks’ defense coach following head coach Rick Tocchet’s departure, but couldn’t commit to a full-time position at the time.

“Right now, my projects are mostly family-related. I’ve spoken with one NHL team, but there’s nothing concrete yet,” Gonchar said. “The main issue is relocation – teams want you around full time, and at the moment that’s not possible.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Jan Rutta has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette HC in Switzerland.

The 35-year-old defenseman spent the past eight seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks. He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

Rutta has 23 goals and 75 assists for 98 points in 417 NHL regular-season games, and 11 points in 49 postseason games.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – August 22, 2025

Check out the latest on Marco Rossi and Mason McTavish in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

TSN: cited a report by Michael Russo of The Athletic claiming there’s been “significant progress” toward a potential new contract for Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old Minnesota Wild center is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (NHL Images)

Russo speculates an agreement between Rossi and the Wild could be announced in the coming days. He believes it will be a bridge contract.

RG.ORG: James Murphy cited two NHL sources claiming the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken recently revisited their interest in Rossi to see where things stand in his contract talks with the Wild.

Neither source provided specifics as to the Wild’s asking price for Rossi. Both suggested one target could be Kraken winger Jared McCann, who is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s been the subject of trade speculation since last season. It was reported that his camp sought a long-term deal between $6 million and $7 million annually, while the Wild reportedly weren’t willing to go much higher than $5 million on a short-term deal.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin never ruled out trading Rossi, but he consistently stated his preference is to sign the young center. Based on Russo’s report, the latter is more likely to happen.

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens reports the Anaheim Ducks want to re-sign Mason McTavish. Like Rossi, the 22-year-old center is a restricted free agent coming off his ELC and has been the subject of growing trade speculation this summer.

Stephens claims the Ducks intend to keep McTavish, seeing him as an important part of their lineup. He indicated the two sides have gone back and forth on short and long-term proposals. The Ducks may not wish to go to the maximum eight-year deal, but they’re not just looking at a bridge deal.

There’s been lots of speculation about which teams need a second-line center and possible trade destinations for McTavish. Stephens believes teams have asked Ducks GM Verbeek about him.

“You know who else needs a second-line center? Anaheim,” replied Stephens. “And it has one that’s 22 and on the rise with a strong finishing kick to last season.” He believes Verbeek sees McTavish as a core player more than he did former Ducks Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the first report I’ve seen this summer from a Ducks beat writer on the status of McTavish’s contract negotiations. All the trade speculation about the young center has come from pundits in other NHL cities.

Stephens pointed out that Verbeek has a reputation as a tough negotiator, which would explain why this situation hasn’t been resolved yet. He also noted that there is still plenty of time for the two sides to get a deal done before training camp opens in mid-September.

We haven’t heard anything from the McTavish camp yet, but that could be because they’d prefer not to discuss those negotiations with the media.