NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

by | Nov 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2025

Hat trick performances by the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini, and the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel, a milestone game for the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard tallied his second career hat trick (and his second of the season) in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Rookie forward Oliver Moore had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks (10-5-4) are 5-0-1 in their last six games. Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist for the 5-13-2 Flames, who’ve lost five of their last six.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is on a roll, with 11 goals in as many games. His 13 goals tied him with six other players for second among NHL scorers, and is tied for second in points with San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini.

Before this game, the Flames claimed center John Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of Macklin Celebrini, his overtime goal completed a hat trick to nip the Utah Mammoth 3-2. Will Smith collected two assists, and Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves as the Sharks improved to 9-8-3 on the season. JJ Peterka scored both goals for the Mammoth (10-7-3), leaving them with a record of 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was also Celebrini’s second hat trick of the season, making it the second time in NHL history that multiple hat tricks were scored by two players age 20 or younger. The last time was on Feb. 19, 1944, by Jack Hamilton and Bud Poile of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a hat trick from Jake Guentzel in a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists while Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots for the 10-7-2 Lightning. Nico Hischier replied for the Devils (13-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele collected three assists and became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (898) in a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and Neal Pionk each had a goal and an assist as the Jets improved to 12-7-0. Zach Werenski scored to become the first defenseman in Blue Jackets history to reach 400 career points. His club’s record slipped to 10-8-2 as its five-game points streak (3-0-2) ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko’s points streak ended at 12 games.

Detroit Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson had a goal and an assist for his first two NHL points to double up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Lucas Raymond also had a goal and an assist,and team captain Dylan Larkin scored for his 600th career NHL regular-season point as the Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. Jordan Eberle and Ryker Evans tallied for the Kraken, who dropped to 9-5-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord returned to action after being sidelined by a lower-body injury since Nov. 5.

The New York Islanders got their fifth win in six games by holding off the Dallas Stars 3-2. Kyle Palmieri got the game-winning goal and picked up an assist for the 11-7-2 Islanders. Jason Robertson scored both goals for the Stars (12-5-3) as their five-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov from behind late in the third period. Romanov had to be helped off the ice, but did not require off-site treatment. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom missed this game due to illness.

William Nylander’s overtime goal lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the St. Louis Blues 3-2, snapping a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz also scored, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves for the 9-9-2 Maple Leafs. Nathan Walker and Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the Blues, who have dropped three straight and fallen to 6-9-5.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, ending the latter’s six-game road win streak. Tomas Hertl collected two assists, and Shea Theodore tallied the winning goal as the Golden Knights improved to 9-4-6. Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 10-9-2 Rangers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna has struggled thus far in his first season in the NCAA.

Ranked as the early top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 17-year-old left wing has four goals and 15 points in 14 games, but his performance hasn’t been as dominant as expected. He’s struggled at even strength and with the physical style of the NCAA game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna wanted to test himself against NCAA competition, and he’s finding that it’s more challenging than he expected. How he responds and adjusts over the rest of this season could determine whether he remains the top prospect in next year’s draft.

DAILY FACEOFF/PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ville Koivunen is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the club placed winger Philip Tomasino on waivers.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring is expected to be sidelined for an extended period with a lower-body injury.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety fined Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins $2,000.00 for embellishment during a Nov. 9 game against the Utah Mammoth.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2025

by | Oct 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2025

Updates on Rangers captain J.T. Miller and Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau, the Oilers acquire Connor Ingram, the Maple Leafs topped Sportico’s latest franchise valuations, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers are taking a cautious approach with J.T. Miller as he recuperates from a lower-body injury suffered during practice on Monday. The Rangers captain is listed as day-to-day and won’t play in Thursday’s preseason game against the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The goal is to have Miller ready for their season opener on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

TSN: Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau left Wednesday’s preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks. He suffered an undisclosed injury after crashing into the Canucks net. He was on the ice for several minutes but left under his own power. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are hoping that Huberdeau’s injury isn’t serious. His playmaking abilities will be crucial to the Flames’ hopes of reaching the playoffs this season.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers acquired goaltender Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday for future considerations. The Mammoth will retain $800K of his $1.95 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers acquired Ingram to bolster their goaltending depth, which has been considered a weakness over the past two seasons. Having cleared waivers with the Mammoth earlier this week, he’s going directly to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are the NHL’s most valuable franchise. According to Sportico’s latest franchise valuations, the Leafs are worth $4.25 billion, up 16 percent from last year’s mark of $3.66 billion.

The New York Rangers are second at $3.65 billion, the Montreal Canadiens third ($3.3 billion), the Boston Bruins fourth ($3 billion), and the Los Angeles Kings are fifth ($2.96 billion).

The Edmonton Oilers are sixth at $2.76 billion, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks ($2.74 billion), the Philadelphia Flyers ($2.66 billion), the Washington Capitals ($2.3 billion), and the Detroit Red Wings ($2.11 billion).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click this link to see the complete list. A notable fact is that the average value of an NHL franchise has risen to $2.1 billion.

The Athletic’s James Mirtle observed that the valuation gap is finally narrowing between the league’s have and have-not franchises.

“It attracts better, well-heeled ownership,” Mirtle writes.“Which in turn leads to more stability for the league overall and higher revenues for individual markets that traditionally haven’t produced big dollars at the game.”

DAILY FACEOFF: Evgeny Kuznetsov has put his desire to return to the NHL on hold, signing a one-year contract with KHL club Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

THE DENVER POST: Erik Johnson announced his retirement after 17 NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Philadelphia Flyers, spending 14 seasons with the Avalanche.

Johnson netted 348 points in 1,023 NHL regular-season games and 13 points in 58 playoff contests. He helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. He played 731 regular-season games with the Avs, sitting second to Adam Foote for the most games by a defenseman (967) in franchise history.

RG.ORG: San Jose Sharks center Michael Misa is focused on improving his 200-foot game as he approaches his NHL rookie season. The 18-year-old center was chosen second overall in this year’s NHL Draft, and compares his game to Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares and former Boston Bruins great Patrice Bergeron.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: James van Riemsdyk has rejoined his Red Wings teammates after taking time off to deal with a family matter. His wife gave birth to twins two weeks ago, but some complications required an additional stay in the hospital. The 36-year-old winger signed with the Red Wings this summer as a free agent.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen re-aggravated a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet regarding the severity of Luukkonen’s injury. If he’s out long term, they could turn to Alexandar Georgiev or Alex Lyon as their starter for the coming season.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans is sidelined until November with an upper-body injury.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Ottawa Senators forwards Hayden Hodgson and Nick Cousins were fined for their actions during Tuesday’s preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Hodgson was fined over $2,000 for boarding Canadiens forward Alex Newhook, while Cousins was fined over $2,100 for slashing Canadiens rookie winger Ivan Demidov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Demidov left the game favoring his right wrist, but he wasn’t seriously injured. The 19-year-old winger is expected to be in the lineup for the Canadiens’ final preseason game on Saturday against the Senators.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators rookie forward Matthew Wood is listed as week to week with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, the Predators claimed winger Tyson Jost off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes.

DAILY FACEOFF: 38 players were placed on waivers on Wednesday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2025

by | Jan 30, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 30, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the Kings and Predators reveal their Quarter-Century Teams, the Blues and Brandon Saad mutually agree to terminate his contract, the Kraken put Philipp Grubauer on waivers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils got two-point performances from Jack and Luke Hughes in a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jack and Luke each had a goal and an assist while Jake Allen made 24 saves for the shutout as the Devils sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. Flyers winger Owen Tippett left the game with an undisclosed injury following an open-ice hit by Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon. With 52 points, the Flyers sit three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson will replace sidelined Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom on Team Sweden in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes collected two assists as his club defeated the Nashville Predators 3-1. Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots and rookie forward Linus Karlsson tallied his first NHL goal for the Canucks (56 points) as they sit one point ahead of the Calgary Flames in the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Tommy Novak replied for the Predators as they’ve dropped two straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks forward Dakota Joshua returned to action after missing 11 games with an injured leg.

An overtime goal by Sidney Crosby lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 27 shots as the Penguins (50 points) are five points behind the Lightning in the Eastern wild-card race. Mikhail Sergachev and Michael Carcone scored for Utah, who are six points behind the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Utah Hockey Club has narrowed its prospective team names to three choices: the current name, the Utah Mammoth, and the Utah Wasatch. Fans will vote during Utah’s next four home games.

Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 29 shots to blank the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Matthew Tkachuk scored and picked up two assists as the Panthers vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty made his season debut after being sidelined by a broken ankle since preseason. The Kings are third in the Pacific Division with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Doughty’s return to the Kings lineup resulted in young defenseman Brandt Clarke being a healthy scratch.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves and Jared Spurgeon netted what proved to be the winning goal for the Wild, who sit third in the Central Division with 64 points. William Nylander tallied for the Leafs (62 points) as their losing skid extended to three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Max Pacioretty was activated off injured reserve for this game. Winger Matthews Knies went on IR with an upper-body injury but could return to action on Saturday.

HEADLINES

The Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators unveiled their Quarter-Century Teams on Wednesday.

Forwards Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter, defensemen Drew Doughty and Alec Martinez, and goaltender Jonathan Quick made up the Kings’ First Team. The Second Team comprised forwards Justin Williams, Adrian Kempe and Zigmund Palffy, defensemen Mattias Norstrom and Lubomir Visnovsky, and goalie Felix Potvin.

The Predators’ First Team featured goaltender Pekka Rinnie, defensemen Roman Josi and Shea Weber, and forwards Filip Forsberg, Paul Kariya and Mike Fisher. The Second Team comprised forwards David Legwand, Ryan Johansen and Steve Sullivan, defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Kimmo Timonen, and goalie Juuse Saros.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues and winger Brandon Saad agreed to terminate his contract once he clears unconditional waivers today. Saad had a year remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $4.5 million. He had cleared waivers and was slated to be assigned to the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saad will become an unrestricted free agent, enabling him to sign with another team. I’ll have more about him and the Blues in today’s Rumor Mill update.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken placed goaltender Philipp Grubauer on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicates the Kraken doesn’t have to send down Grubauer but gives them the option. Given his contract, he’s unlikely to be claimed by another NHL team. This also raises questions about his future with the team, including a potential contract buyout in June.

Grubauer was the Kraken’s starter when he signed his contract in 2021 but Joey Daccord outplayed him for the job last season. He’s struggled this season with a 3.83 goals-against average and an. 866 save percentage.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is sidelined indefinitely following surgery to repair a lacerated quadriceps muscle.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guhle is the Canadiens’ best shutdown defenseman so his absence is a big blow to the blueline in their quest for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ve recalled Jayden Struble from his conditioning stint in Laval.

TSN: Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins is out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek was assigned to his club’s AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint as he works his way back from a fractured cheekbone.

NESN: The Boston Bruins are talking with former captain Zdeno Chara about returning to the club as a front-office consultant.

RG.ORG: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was surprised by Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer suggesting his club play some regular-season games in Quebec City.

He made those remarks during a recent press conference announcing his team will play two preseason games there in September.

Andlauer also said he believes Quebec City deserves an NHL franchise but acknowledged that’s not his decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andlauer will likely get a gentle reminder from the commissioner’s office about speaking out of turn regarding potential NHL expansion destinations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2024

by | Aug 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 30, 2024

Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau has passed away. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau have died after being struck by a vehicle while riding their bikes in Oldman Township, Salem County, New Jersey. The accident occurred on Thursday evening.

The Blue Jackets confirmed the tragic news this morning. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement expressing shock and sadness over Gaudreau’s tragic passing.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau (NHL Images).

The Gaudreau family was together for the wedding of their sister Katie, who was supposed to be getting married on Aug. 30.

Gaudreau emerged as an NHL star with the Calgary Flames in 2014-15. Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey”, he was regularly among the Flames’ leading scorers, tallying a career-high 115 points in 2021-22 and 99 points in 2018-19.

Signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent, Gaudreau was their leading scorer during the last two seasons. He was entering the third season of his seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets.

In 763 NHL regular-season games, Gaudreau had 243 goals and 500 assists for 743 points. He also had 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 42 playoff contests.

Gaudreau leaves behind his wife Meredith and two young children. Johnny was 31 years old, his brother Matthew was 29.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m in shock right now over this devastating news. My heart goes out to Gaudreau’s family, his friends, his current and former teammates. My sincere condolences as well to the Blue Jackets and the Flames.

*****

OTTAWA SUN: Senators head coach Travis Green said his players should be ready to work when they report for training camp on Sept. 18.

Green was named head coach of the Senators on May 7. He indicated he’s met with all of his players, informing them of his expectations for this season, emphasizing their offseason conditioning, and the importance of being in shape for camp.

Center Josh Norris is fully recovered from his season-ending shoulder surgery. Green said Norris will be a full participant in training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Norris will be crucial to the Senators’ playoff hopes this season. He had a promising 35-goal, 55-point performance in 66 games during 2021-22 but has been derailed by shoulder surgeries limiting him to 58 games over the past two seasons.

The Senators also announced free agent forward Nick Cousins signed a one-year $800K contract. Cousins, 30, won the Stanley Cup last season with the Florida Panthers.

Meanwhile, team president Cyril Leeder said the club expects to have a decision on the future of their proposed LeBreton Flats arena project by the end of September. Leeder admitted he’s disappointed there hasn’t been more progress in negotiations with the National Capital Commission (NCC) but remains cautiously optimistic they’ll get a deal in place.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report indicated Senators owner Michael Andlauer remains bullish on constructing an arena in downtown Ottawa but seeks a lease agreement that is fair to both sides. The Senators play at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, over 22 km (13.6 miles) from downtown.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane posted a video on Instagram alleging a white man on a bicycle spat on his vehicle and used racist language toward him.

“That’s what you just said: “You people don’t belong here,” Kane is heard addressing the man. A third man identifying as Kane’s friend adds, “That’s not a good statement.”

“It’s incredibly disappointing,” said Kane following the incident. “There are still people like this today.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s beyond disappointing.

THE ATHLETIC: In an interview with Michael Russo, Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz explained why he traded promising Yaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks last week.

Trotz believes Askarov has the skills and confidence to become an excellent goaltender. However, he felt the 22-year-old netminder currently lacks the elite mindset and mental preparation to reach that level.

He based that opinion on his years working with well-respected goaltending coach Mitch Korn. “The mental part, the physical part, the emotional part all have to get to a very mature state to have a lot of consistency in this game.”

The Predators signed starting goaltender Juuse Saros to an eight-year extension and added veteran backup Scott Wedgewood last month with a two-year contract. Askarov told the club he wouldn’t report to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee and requested a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trotz believes Askarov will reach that elite level with more consistency. However, he’s invested in Saros for the next eight years as he’s attempting to build the Predators into a Stanley Cup contender.

The Predators are in “win-now” mode following their offseason signings of wingers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei. Trotz wanted established NHL goalies on his roster. He and his staff had a plan to develop Askarov’s game but the young netminder saw that as an obstacle in his path to becoming an NHL starter.

DAILY FACEOFF: Carolina Hurricanes winger Jesper Fast is expected to miss the 2024-25 season following neck surgery on Aug. 6. The 32-year-old winger is in the final season of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fast will be placed on injured reserve rather than long-term injury reserve. That’s because the Hurricanes have over $6.4 million in cap space this season.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs won’t be playing for Latvia in their upcoming Olympic qualifier this weekend. The 23-year-old goaltender is dealing with knee ligament inflammation but it’s not expected to keep him out of Canucks training camp, which opens on Sept. 19.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks are already dealing with the potential absence of starter Thatcher Demko during training camp and preseason as he rehabs a nagging undisclosed injury.

They’re reportedly considering their options to shore up their goaltending depth. Silovs’ ailment could put more urgency into their search.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs announced Steve Sullivan will join their AHL affiliate as an assistant coach.










NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

by | Aug 17, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – August 17, 2024

What’s the latest on Patrik Laine? What’s going on with Mikko Rantanen’s contract extension? Who are the top centers and goalies remaining in the UFA market? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE LATEST ON LAINE

TSN: Bryan Hayes and Dave Feschuk talked with Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell regarding his efforts to honor Patrik Laine’s trade request.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine (NHL Images).

Waddell noted that the 26-year-old winger was vocal about a trade way before he took over as GM, indicating there were “a lot of things going on in the locker room”. He admitted it would be harder to bring Laine back knowing the situation but that might be the option if a deal cannot be found.

“We’re into the summer, he’s got a high cap hit for two years, you know,” said Waddell. “I’m talking to teams every day, I got two or three teams engaged right now, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Waddell said he told Laine’s agent that, at the end of the day, if a deal can’t be made, the winger will have to come back to the Jackets’ training camp. He added that they’ll welcome him back and try to make the best of the situation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2025-26 plus his on-ice struggles, injury history, and a recent stint in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program addressing his mental health are significant obstacles.

His contract is the biggest to overcome. A trade is unlikely to happen unless the Blue Jackets retain some salary.

UPDATE ON RANTANEN’S CONTRACT EXTENSION

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Evan Rawal recently cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting there’s growing optimism that the Colorado Avalanche and forward Mikko Rantanen can agree to a contract extension.

Rantanen, 27, is in the final season of his contract with a cap hit of $9.25 million. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Friedman said he’d spoken with some teams that believe the Avalanche and Rantanen can get something done. Many of them have taken Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl off their UFA boards for next summer because they know that deal will get done. They don’t have any reason to believe that Rantanen’s deal with the Avs will be difficult to get done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen’s in line for a big raise, perhaps exceeding teammate Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million AAV.

Assuming the 2025-26 salary cap is $92 million, the Avalanche will have $21.3 million in cap space with 14 active roster players under contract. They’ll have room to sign Rantanen but it won’t leave much to fill out the rest of the roster.

TOP REMAINING UFA CENTERS AND GOALTENDERS

DAILY FACEOFF: Hunter Crowther recently listed the top five centers and the top three goaltenders remaining in this summer’s unrestricted free-agent market.

Nick Cousins tops the list of available centers, followed by Chris Tierney, Rem Pitlick, and Sam Gagner.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colin White was also on Crowther’s list published on Aug 11. Two days later, however, he signed an AHL contract with the San Jose Barracuda.

Kevin Lankinen, Antti Raanta, and Martin Jones are the top remaining netminders.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

by | Aug 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines and Rumors – August 5, 2024

It’s a holiday Monday in Canada so there’s little hockey news to report. Here’s a brief look at the notable remaining unrestricted free agents plus a look at whether Patrik Laine would be a fit with the Bruins.

DAILY FACEOFF: recently listed the top remaining players in this summer’s unrestricted free agent market.

Right wing James van Riemsdyk tops the list, followed by defensemen Tyson Barrie and Tony DeAngelo.

Former Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie was in his hometown of Victoria, BC, on Saturday hosting a charity concert featuring Grammy Award winner Sarah McLaughlan. There’s no word if he’s in discussions with any NHL teams for next season.

As for DeAngelo, SI.com cited Hockey News Hub claiming the blueliner was reportedly signing with SKA St. Petersburg. No official word yet from him or the club.

Right wings Tyler Johnson, Kevin Labanc and Mike Hoffman, defenseman Oliver Kylington, left wings Max Pacioretty and Jakub Vrana, and blueliner Justin Schultz rounded out the top 10.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These players have occasionally surfaced in free agent rumors over the past month as options for NHL clubs seeking affordable depth. However, no reports suggest any of them are close to signing.

Other notables include defenseman John Klingberg, goaltender Kevin Lankinen, left wing Nick Cousins, goalie Antti Raanta, and wingers Cal Clutterbuck and Filip Zadina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been no updates on Klingberg since he underwent season-ending hip surgery in December. The latest on Cousins is he’ll be having his day with the Stanley Cup on Aug. 20 but nothing on talks with NHL teams.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont pondered the possibility of the Bruins looking into acquiring Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine. With the offseason departure of Jake DeBrusk, he believes the 26-year-old Laine could be a good fit among the Bruins’ top-six forwards.

Laine’s contract, however, is a significant obstacle. He has two years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million. The Bruins currently have $8.6 million in cap space but most of that will be taken up signing goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

To bring Laine to Boston, the Blues Jackets would have to retain some of Laine’s cap hit. Doing so, however, means the Bruins would be forced to ship out equal bucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dupont believes Laine will most likely suit up with a club that has the cap room to acquire him. He suggested the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings as the best bet given their depth of exciting young prospects.