NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – January 10, 2024

Could the Ducks trade Trevor Zegras? Will the Senators shop Jakob Chychrun? Could Penguins winger Jake Guentzel hit the trade block? What’s the latest on Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli updated his NHL Trade Targets list on Tuesday, adding several notable new names.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can see the entire list by following the link. I’m not including everyone as most of the names, such as Calgary’s Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, have already frequently appeared in the rumor mill this season and will likely continue to do so leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. Today, I’m more interested in the new players on Seravalli’s list.

Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

In the wake of the Anaheim Ducks shipping Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday for Cutter Gauthier, Seravalli wondered if Trevor Zegras could be next. He noted that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has put together a solid prospect base with Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov and Lukas Dostal.

Seravalli had Zegras sitting at No. 4 on his list. He cited sources claiming Verbeek mentioned Zegras in trade discussions this season though it’s unclear how far those talks went. He thinks the 22-year-old center doesn’t mesh with the style of play Verbeek envisions for the Ducks, citing their tough contract talks that saw Zegras miss training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Darren Dreger last night indicated Zegras isn’t being shopped but there had been some level of interest in the young forward. He believes the Ducks will continue to work on improving Zegras’ overall game but suggested this situation could come to a head in the offseason.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun sits at No. 10. Less than a year after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, Seravalli reports teams have expressed an interest in the 25-year-old defenseman and the Senators haven’t told them that he’s not available. They have a log jam in left-shot defensemen with Chychrun, Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chychrun was acquired by former Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. New GM Steve Staios isn’t beholden to any players acquired by his predecessor. He may not be shopping Chychrun but, understandably, he’s willing to at least listen to offers. Despite the Senators’ struggles this season, however, there’s no indication that he wants out of Ottawa.

St. Louis Blues center Kevin Hayes checks in at No. 15. Seravalli believes his improved play could make him enticing in the trade market if the Blues would retain half of the $3.57 million of his $7.14 million cap hit that they’re carrying. He could fetch a decent return from a playoff contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues are still in the chase for a Western Conference wild-card berth. I daresay they’ll hang onto Hayes if they’re in a playoff spot by March 8. He’s still carrying a 12-team no-trade clause which could complicate things.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov is at No. 20. If Joseph Woll regains his early-season form on his return from an ankle injury, the Leafs could move Samsonov to another club that thinks he can reboot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Anything’s possible, I suppose, but the fact Samsonov recently cleared waivers says all we need to know about his potential trade value. No NHL club will touch him unless his performance improves or the Leafs add a lot of sweeteners in the deal.

Sitting at No. 25 is Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Seravalli said the 29-year-old pending free-agent left winger isn’t in play yet with the Penguins having clawed their way back into the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference. If they fall out of the chase, however, Guentzel might become available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel’s situation could be worth monitoring if the Penguins stumble. As Seravalli pointed out, he could become the most prized rental player in the trade market by March 8.

LATEST ON HERTL AND COUTURE

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports he’s not sure a whole lot will happen with San Jose Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture by the March 8 trade deadline.

He spoke with Hertl yesterday following the Sharks’ morning skate and he’s focused on helping his team and being a good leader rather than on the trade deadline. Couture, meanwhile, is centered more on returning from an injury than the trade deadline.

LeBrun noted that Hertl has a full no-movement clause. Couture has three more years left on his contract but LeBrun believes he’s the type of leadership player that could have a few teams calling about.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun also addressed Hertl and Couture in his column with The Athletic, suggesting any conversation about their futures is more likely to occur in the summer. They’re both carrying term on expensive contracts with no-trade protection. Moving those types of players rarely takes place leading up to the trade deadline.

UPDATES ON THE FLYERS

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping to get more interest in defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler. They’re still willing to retain 50 percent of their average annual values.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey believes more moves are coming for the Flyers following their acquisition of Jamie Drysdale from the Anaheim Ducks. They now have eight defensemen on their roster.

Bailey noted that Walker has been the subject of trade speculation for some time. He pointed out that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated Rasmus Ristolainen is a target of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also cited a recent report by Friedman indicating that at least one team attempted to acquire Walker and Seeler.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers GM Daniel Briere remains focused on his rebuilding plans despite his club being in the thick of the playoff chase. Adding Drysdale could make it easier for him to part with Walker or Seeler. Both carry affordable cap hits and if the Flyers are willing to retain half it could make them easier to peddle.

As for Ristolainen, the only way I see him moving is if the Flyers retain half of his $5.1 million AAV through 2027 or they get a player with an equivalent cap hit in return. Otherwise, that’s a move they try to make in the offseason.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – November 11, 2023

Possible destinations for Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov following his trade request and some recent Sharks speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHERE COULD THE FLAMES SHIP ZADOROV?

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s the big question following last night’s report that Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov requested a trade through his agent. So, let’s dive in and see…

TSN: Pierre LeBrun confirmed the report by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes that Zadorov requested a trade through his agent Dan Milstein yesterday. His camp is hoping for a quick resolution.

Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov (NHL Images).

Chris Johnston reports the pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman would welcome a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before Weekes’ report of Zadorov’s request broke, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox and The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel included him among three Flames defensemen they felt the Leafs should target in the trade market. The others were Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, who are also slated to become UFAs next summer.

They agree that Hanifin would be the most expensive to acquire. He and Tanev also have modified no-trade clauses with Hanifin having an eight-team no-trade list and Tanev having 10 teams on his.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited a source saying Zadorov would welcome a trade to the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bidding war! Well, that’s what the Flames will hope for given Zadorov’s lack of no-trade protection and his reasonable $3.75 million cap hit for this season. They’ll ship him to the team that will give them the best return.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie wonders what the Flames’ asking price will be for Zadorov. Given the club’s intent to get younger and their need for speed and skill, McKenzie speculates they could obtain draft picks or a young prospect for Zadorov.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils’ deep prospect pool gives them an advantage over the Leafs in that regard. Cap space, however, will be a sticking point for both clubs.

The Flames might have to retain salary or take back a player with a comparable cap hit to make this work for the Leafs or Devils. It’ll be interesting to see if other clubs get into the bidding here.

RECENT SHARKS SPECULATION

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek recently observed that the San Jose Sharks had hoped pending UFAs Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair and Kevin Labanc would be of interest to playoff contenders as trade-deadline rentals. However, they’re off to terrible starts and would have zero value at the moment.

If the Flames felt their season was salvageable, Duhatschek wondered if they might acquire Duclair and reunite him with Jonathan Huberdeau. The duo developed some offensive chemistry during their time with the Florida Panthers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller reported Sharks general manager Mike Grier wasn’t worried about the trade value of those on expiring contracts. “I think all those guys have a pretty good track record of who they are and producing and things like that,” he said.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli noted that the Sharks need to figure out where high-price forwards like Tomas Hertl and captain Logan Couture fit into the club’s future.

Seravalli noted there will only be room to move one of them if they need to retain salary to facilitate a trade. They only have one salary-retention spot left after using two of them on Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson. Servalli speculates that Hertl could generate more interest than Couture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication Hertl and/or Couture want out of San Jose. However, Grier said back in September that he would listen if they asked to be moved and explore that option if it made sense for the team.

The most likely trade candidates remain those pending free agents. Of those three, Duclair has the most value given his 31-goal season in 2021-22 and his solid performance during the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2023

Recaps of Tuesday’s games, the NHL and NHLPA discuss neck guards for its players, Paul Stastny retires, the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy is suspended, and more in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson tallied a hat trick and defenseman Quinn Hughes had three assists in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Colton Sissons and Dante Fabbro replied for the Predators. The Canucks end the month of October with a record of 6-2-1 while the Predators slipped to 4-5-0.

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A much better start for the Canucks compared to last season (2-5-2), 2021-22 (3-5-1) and 2020-21 (4-5-0). A healthy roster, strong performances from Pettersson and Hughes and the players’ adjustment to head coach Rick Tocchet’s system are among the contributing factors. Pettersson sits second among NHL scorers with 16 points and Quinn (11 points) is tied for the scoring lead among NHL defensemen.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Cam Talbot made 29 saves, Phillip Danault scored what proved to be the game-winner and Quinton Byfield collected two assists for the 5-2-2 Kings. John Tavares scored and William Nylander collected an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to a team record nine games for the 5-3-1 Maple Leafs.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has initiated discussions with the NHL Players Association to increase neck protections among its players. The move comes following the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson on Saturday after his neck was accidentally sliced by a skate blade during an EIHL game in England.

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there’s a huge level of concern around the NHL about this issue with teams calling league headquarters for direction. Three teams (Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina) have started the process of optional neckguards for their players while the Penguins are making them mandatory for their AHL and ECHL affiliates.

Pierre LeBrun, meanwhile, indicated that cut-resistant gear has been a topic of discussion for the past half-dozen NHL general managers meetings dating back to Evander Kane’s wrist injury last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL cannot implement changes to player equipment without the consent of the NHLPA. However, it sounds like the PA could be receptive to this issue. Teams are already taking action to allow their players the option of wearing cut-resistant gear. This could be something that gets put into practice more quickly than previous changes to equipment policies.

NHL.COM: Paul Stastny has retired after 17 NHL seasons. He had 293 goals and 822 career regular-season points in 1,145 games with the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. He also had 73 points in 118 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stastny’s best seasons were with the Avalanche, including a career-high 79 points in 2009-10. He reportedly sought the guidance of his father, Hall-of-Famer Peter Stastny, before reaching this decision. Stastny told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that he’s interested in returning to hockey one day in a management role.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy received a four-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Monday.

The Bruins also announced that blueliner Matt Grzelcyk will miss “a couple of weeks” with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Bruins center Matthew Poitras and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski won’t be returned to their respective junior teams. Both will remain with their NHL clubs following their nine-game trials with their respective teams.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That means their entry-level contracts now go into effect and will count against their respective teams’ salary-cap payrolls for this season.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury that will keep him off the ice for a little while. Meanwhile. Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov will miss four to six weeks due to a broken finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hits just keep on coming for the struggling Sharks. The absence of Couture has hurt their offense and Barabanov’s absence won’t help.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach underwent successful knee surgery in New York on Tuesday. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be ready to return to action next season.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche blueliners Cale Makar and Bowen Byram missed practice on Tuesday and are questionable for Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks center Conor Bedard is off to a promising start with six points in nine games. However, Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig was the rookie points leader for October with seven points in eight contests.

THE SCORE: Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Edmonton Oilers signed center Sam Gagner to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level and placed forward Adam Erne on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 11, 2023

The 2023-24 season began with Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard making his big-league debut, the Golden Knights raising their Stanley Cup banner, plus the latest notable news in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard collected an assist in his first-ever NHL game as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Corey Perry, Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson each collected two points for the Blackhawks while Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard picked up that secondary assist on Ryan Donato’s goal that opened the scoring for the Blackhawks. The 18-year-old center acquitted himself well in his first NHL contest, seeing over 21 minutes of ice time and generating five shots on net. He’ll have to work on his faceoff skills as he won only 15 percent of his draws.

The Vegas Golden Knights raised their 2022-23 Stanley Cup banner in a pregame ceremony before winning their home opener by downing the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Adin Hill made 32 saves while Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson each had two points for the Golden Knights. Jared McCann replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights forward Brett Howden received a five-minute major and a match penalty for an illegal hit to the head of Kraken forward Brandon Tanev, who didn’t return to the game. An update on Tanev’s condition is expected on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring for the 2023-24 season in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Kucherov and teammate Nick Paul each tallied twice while Brayden Point collected three assists for the Lightning. Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg each had two points for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning winger Tyler Motte left the game with an injured hand. An update on his status is expected on Wednesday.

HEADLINES

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture will miss his club’s season opener on Thursday against the Golden Knights. He remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov will miss his club’s season opener as he continues to rehab from reconstructive surgery on his right ACL back in March. Head coach Rob Brind’Amour claims Svechnikov is close to returning to action but the club doesn’t want to rush him.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers placed defenseman Aaron Ekblad on long-term injury reserve on Tuesday. Ekblad continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. He and sidelined blueliner Brandon Montour hope to return to action in December though one could return sooner than the other.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers still have Montour on injured reserve, suggesting he could return before Ekblad.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild named winger Kirill Kaprizov as an alternate captain. He joined captain Jared Spurgeon and fellow alternate Marcus Foligno among the Wild’s leadership group.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST/CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The Caroline Hurricanes traded defenseman Caleb Jones to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for minor-league forward Callahan Burke.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move shores up the Avalanche’s blueline depth. Jones became the odd man out on the Hurricanes as they opted to go with seven defensemen this season.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Anaheim Ducks claimed forward Ross Johnston off waivers from the New York Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston wasn’t seeing much playing time with the Islanders. He’ll get that with the rebuilding Ducks as they look to add more muscle to their roster.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Noah Gregor to a one-year contract worth $775K. He’d been with the Leafs during training camp and preseason on a professional tryout offer.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of PTOs, Max Comtois was released from his by the Golden Knights.

DAILY FACEOFF: Los Angeles Kings goaltender David Rittich, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Barre-Boulet and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann were placed on waivers yesterday.

NHL.COM: Former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose is retiring as an ESPN analyst after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Melrose and his family.

DAILY FACEOFF: Scotiabank Arena will undergo major renovations totaling $350 million following the upcoming Maple Leafs and Raptors seasons. Formerly known as the Air Canada Centre, it opened in February 1999.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 6, 2023

Check out the latest on Leafs forward William Nylander, Sharks center Logan Couture and Senators center Shane Pinto in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD NYLANDER HIT THE TRADE BLOCK?

NHL NETWORK: Steve Konroyd recently expressed his belief that the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade William Nylander at some point during this season. He doesn’t think the Leafs can afford to re-sign the 27-year-old forward, who could seek close to $10 million annually on his next contract.

Mike Rupp agreed with Konroyd, saying that Nylander has been underpaid for years. He believes there will be teams knocking on the door, including the Anaheim Ducks.

THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel reports Nylander told his agent that he’s willing to negotiate with the Leafs during this season. However, he doesn’t want to hear about the status of those talks until the two sides have a deal in place.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

Siegel thinks that this suggests Nylander has a clear number in mind for his next contract and won’t contemplate a deal unless the Leafs get there. General manager Brad Treliving could contemplate moving Nylander if a deal isn’t in place by the March 8 trade deadline.

However, Siegel doubts Treliving will peddle Nylander. He points out that clubs trying to win the Stanley Cup typically don’t trade away their best players even at the risk of their departure as free agents following the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs could trade Nylander if this season goes off the rails by the trade deadline. Otherwise, I agree with Siegel that they’ll hang onto him for the playoffs if they feel they have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.

If Nylander does hit the trade block perhaps the Ducks will have some interest. I agree with Rupp that he’d be a good fit in Anaheim given the experience and skills he’d bring to their rebuilding roster. They’d also have the cap space to sign him.

However, the Ducks could be on Nylander’s 10-team no-trade list for this season. It’s also possible that they don’t want to invest big money in expensive talent at this stage of their rebuild. If they are interested, they might prefer waiting for free agency on July 1 rather than giving up draft picks and promising young players to acquire him in a trade.

ARE COUTURE’S DAYS NUMBERED IN SAN JOSE?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli recently said he thinks that San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture could become a prime trade candidate.

He doesn’t think teams will be enamored with the 34-year-old center’s contract. However, he pointed out that the Sharks retained salary on Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns to facilitate trading those players.

Seravalli pointed out that the Sharks have one salary retention slot left. He thinks they could try to leverage that in order to generate trade interest in Couture.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Couture is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8 million and a three-team trade list. The Sharks almost certainly must retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit if they wish to move him.

Sharks GM Mike Grier recently said he’d be willing to entertain offers for Couture if he wanted to be traded. So far, there’s no indication that he wants out. We’ll see what happens as the season progresses.

THE LATEST ON THE PINTO SAGA

TSN: With the Ducks signing Jamie Drysdale on Thursday, Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto remains the last notable unsigned restricted free agent.

Chris Johnston reports the Senators continue working with Pinto’s agent to try and get a deal done before the upcoming start of the regular season. He noted that the 22-year-old center is two years away from arbitration eligibility. That makes it difficult to value what could be a second year in the deal, making a player less inclined to sign a one-year contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The ongoing uncertainty over Josh Norris’ health for this season also puts more urgency on the Senators to get Pinto under contract.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2023

The Ducks finally sign Jamie Drysdale, the Kings extend coach Todd McLellan’s contract, recaps of Thursday’s preseason action, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

HEADLINES

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Jamie Drysdale to a three-year, $6.9 million contract. The average annual value is $2.3 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As with Trevor Zegras, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek gets Drysdale signed to a team-friendly bridge contract. The 21-year-old defenseman had little leverage coming off his entry-level contract. Should he and Zegras improve as projected, they’ll be well-situated to command much more lucrative terms on their next contracts.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Los Angeles Kings have extended the contract of head coach Todd McLellan to the end of the 2024-25 season. He’s entering his fifth season behind the Kings bench, guiding them to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have made steady improvement under McLellan, finishing with 99 points in 2021-22 and 104 points in 2022-23. However, they’ve fallen in the first round of the playoffs in both seasons to the Edmonton Oilers. McLellan’s long-term future with the Kings will depend on their performance this season and next.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Kings, forward Arthur Kaliyev has been suspended for two preseason games and two regular-season games by the NHL department of player safety for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo. The latter suffered a sprained MCL and will be sidelined for eight weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The punishment hardly seems to fit the crime. I think any player who deliberately injures another should be suspended for as long as the player he injured is sidelined. However, there’s also that grey area of determining intent or whether it was accidental. Besides, such a harsh punishment for a superstar probably wouldn’t go over well with fans and pundits.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture is considered a long shot to be in the lineup for the club’s season-opener next week. The 34-year-old center is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks already faced a challenging season as management rebuilds, er, sorry, “retools” its roster. Losing Couture to injury to start this campaign was the last thing they needed.

LAS VEGAS SUN: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud underwent surgery for an upper-body injury and is listed as week-to-week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a big blow to the Golden Knight’s blueline. It’s also the third straight season that Whitecloud has been sidelined by a significant injury. He was limited to 59 games in each of the last two seasons.

SPORTSNET: The city of Calgary unveiled a preliminary deal for a $1.2 billion event center and entertainment district near the city’s downtown. It includes an $800 million arena for the Flames. Construction will reportedly begin in 2024 and the arena is expected to be opened in 2026 or 2027.

The province of Alberta will contribute $330 million to the project while the city of Calgary will contribute $537 million. The Flames will pay $40 million upfront and $17 million per year over the course of a 35-year lease with payments rising one percent per year.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Ryan O’Reilly scored his first preseason goal with the Nashville Predators and collected three assists in a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Juuse Saros made 40 saves for the Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Predators, they will honor former general manager David Poile during a pregame ceremony on Nov. 22. Poile retired on July 1 after 40 seasons in the NHL including 25 seasons as the Predators GM.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. William Nylander scored twice, including the winner in overtime. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each had two points for the Leafs. Shayne Gostisbehere collected two assists for the Wings.

Florida Panthers center Kevin Stenlund scored two goals in a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist as his club downed the New York Islanders 5-2. Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves for the Islanders.

The Washington Capitals doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Riley Sutter netted a shorthanded goal and collected an assist for the Capitals. Spencer Martin stopped 35 shots in his first game for the Jackets since being claimed off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week.

Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras tallied the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves. Kaapo Kakko replied for the Rangers, who finished the preseason with a record of 1-5-0.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 24 shots to shut out the Dallas Stars 4-0. Robert Thomas tallied twice for the Blues. Jake Oettinger stopped 24 shots for the Stars.

The Ottawa Senators blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 as Anton Forsberg turned in a 21-save shutout. Jakob Chychrun and Josh Bailey each had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Jets defenseman Ville Heinola left the game with a lower-body injury in the first period following a collision with Senators defenseman Erik Brannstrom.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heinola suffered the injury to his left leg. “It’s not good,” said Jets coach Rick Bowness following the game. “It’s not a short-term injury.”

A shootout goal by Mats Zuccarello gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. A third-period goal by Pat Maroon tied the game for the Wild. Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard was unable to get off a shot during the shootout as he was poke-checked by Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 27 saves for the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly victory for the Wild as defenseman Jared Spurgeon left the game in the first period and didn’t return. He will be evaluated today.

An overtime goal by Adrian Kempe lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. Pierre-Luc Dubois tallied his first preseason goal for the Kings while Mike Hoffman picked up his first preseason tally for the Sharks.

The Arizona Coyotes downed the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on a two-goal performance by center Logan Cooley. Ducks goalie John Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots before leaving the game with an apparent hand injury.

Four unanswered goals by the Vegas Golden Knights gave them a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Alex Pietrangelo had two assists and Logan Thompson kicked out 31 shots for the Golden Knights. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had two assists for the Avalanche.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE SCORE: The NHL is reportedly considering hosting the 2024 Draft at The Sphere, a music and entertainment arena just off the Strip in Las Vegas. For the past 30 years, NHL drafts have been primarily held inside the host city’s arena.

THE PROVINCE: Stan Smyl is transitioning out of the Vancouver Canucks front office into a role as a team ambassador. Smyl has been with the Canucks since breaking in as a player 45 years ago, serving in various roles following his playing career. He’s been serving as their vice president since 2021.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: A report indicated Devils chairman and governor David Blitzer is joining the NHL’s executive committee.

AZCENTRAL.COM: The Arizona Coyotes have found a new TV broadcaster, signing a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports to televise all locally broadcasted games. The announcement comes on the same day that the Coyotes and Bally Sports Arizona received approval to terminate their multi-year contract.